what today is Lier, Belgium.

From the 16th through the 19th centuries, the city was repeatedly ravaged by fires that caused widespread damage since many of its buildings were made of wood. The worst occurred in 1598, 1651, 1681, 1708, 1717 (twice), 1742, 1788, 1841 and 1842. The 1651 fire destroyed 90% of all buildings within the city limits. After the "Horneman Fire" in 1681, there was an almost total reconstruction of the city, overseen by General