Aalst

Aalst is a town in Oost-Vlaanderen province in north-central Belgium some 15 miles northwest of Brussels, on the Dender River. It is noted for its town hall and carillon, the oldest in Belgium, and for its collection of 12th-century manuscripts. Thierry Martens established the first printing shop in the Low Countries here in 1473. The Gothic St. Martin's Church, begun ca 1480 and still incomplete, has vault paintings, a Rubens painting, and a tabernacle built in 1605 containing sculptures by Hieronymus Duquesnoy the Elder. The main industry of the modern town is the production of textiles, clothing, and textile equipment. Beer brewing is also important. The 2003 population was estimated at 76,600.