Lier 6.17

Lier is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. The municipality comprises the city of Lier itself and the village of Koningshooikt. As of January 1, 2010 Lier had a total population of 33,930. The total area is 49.70 km² which gives a population density of 669 inhabitants per km².Lier is known for its beers, including 'Caves', its patron saint 'St. Gummarus' and the tart 'Lierse vlaaikes'.It is also home to Van Hool (in Koningshooikt), one of the largest manufacturers of buses and coaches.There are two main football clubs Lierse S.K. (Belgian Second Division) and K. Lyra T.S.V. (Belgian Promotion) are based in Lier.EtymologyThe etymology of the city name Lier is still under debate. It seems that the name Lier is most likely a reference towards the rivers (Nete) and muddy grounds. The latin name of Lier is Lyra, the latter contains the -ara ending which refers to a river potentially from Germanic or Keltic origin. A potential explanation is thus the Germanic word Ledo or Ledi which refers to a place near the confluence of the small and big Nete.Other explanations are the old dutch word laar (open space in the woods) or the word liere (parapet). There is also a resemblance with the Swedish word leira which means muddy shore or the Icelandic word leir meaning clay.