Aalst - Dirk Martens Memorial

In front of the Schepenhuis a memorial (1856) by Jan Geef commemorates the south Netherland's most famous printer, Dirk Martens. A close friend of Erasmus of Rotterdam, Martens began printing in 1473. He developed his own lettering system and was the first person in the Netherlands to print Greek and Hebrew texts. After spending many years in Antwerp, Louvain and also Spain he eventually returned to his birthplace at Aalst. From his printing press came, for example, the first editions of Thomas More's "Utopia", major works by Erasmus, and the first report of Columbus's journey of discovery, the latter appearing little more than a year after the navigator's return.