City status in Belgium
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City status in Belgium is granted by a royal decree to a select group of municipalities.
[edit] History
During Middle Ages, towns had defined privileges on surrounding villages. With the strengthening of the communal power by local lords, they could for example organize annual fairs, levy toll taxes or build walls. Under the French occupation of Belgian provinces, privilieges were abolied and replaced by an honorific title of city (Dutch stad, French ville). This was imposed by an order of the Convention Nationale on the Brumaire 2 in the year II (23 October 1793). A certain amount number of towns lost their title of city.
At the time of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, some towns recover their title. On the 30th May 1825, a royal decree was published and included the list of the towns that was granted by the title. This list didn't see any change during 150 years. After the merging of municipalities of 1977, some towns had the opportunity to ask the title, request based on historical facts (Towns that had the title before French occupation or were important during Middle Ages) or based on the urban importance they have. A great amount took advantage of this opportunity between 1982 and 2000 that honorific title.
[edit] List of cities in Belgium
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