Hasselt
Hasselt is the capital of the Belgian province of Limburg and has more than 70.000 inhabitants. The town centre of Hasselt is not large but very sociable. The centre is mostly car-free and contains a number of historical buildings. Among the oldest buildings in the town centre are the St. Quentin's Cathedral (11th to 18th C.) and the "Herkenrode Abbey refuge house" (1542). The "Grote Markt" (large central market square) and the nearby streets are lined with pubs, restaurants and taverns.
The 'Demerstraat' and the 'Koning Albertstraat' are the most important shopping streets. In the 'Kapelstraat' and the 'Hoogstraat' are expensive shops with the most famous brands. Another major religious building, besides the cathedral, is the Virga Jesse Basilica. Both have to cede domination of the skyline of the city to the twin towers of the "TT-wijk", however; the renovation of this complex (now including a shopping mall and a hotel) in 2003 gave the centre a new boost. In 2004, Hasselt was the first Belgian city to receive the title "most sociable city of Flanders", and has since claimed the title of "Capital of Good Taste"; likewise, Hasselt is also considered an exemplary city regarding pedestrian facilities in the centre.
The expansion of the 'Grenslandhallen' with the 'Ethias Arena' and 'Plopsa Indoor' gave more glamor to Hasselt .
Source: Wikipedia
