Zichem
Zichem is a village in Belgium, part of the municipality Scherpenheuvel-Zichem.
Its name is derived from the Biblical Sichem.
Zichem was a prosperous city until the Eighty Years' War, in which it was besieged, conquered and destroyed by Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma in 1578. This disaster was followed by an earthquake in 1580 and a city fire in 1599, a serie of events from with Zichem never fully recovered.
It is also the birthplace of Flemish author Ernest Claes and 22nd Superior General of the Society of Jesus Peter Jan Beckx. Wij, Heren van Zichem, a popular Flemish TV series based on Claes' novels, was set in Zichem.
