Valenciennes

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Template:Short description Template:Distinguish Template:Other uses Template:Use dmy dates Template:More citations needed Template:Infobox French commune

Valenciennes (Template:IPAc-en,<ref>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> also Template:IPAc-en,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:IPAc-en,<ref>Template:Cite American Heritage Dictionary</ref><ref>Template:Cite Merriam-Webster</ref> Template:IPA; Template:Langx; Template:Langx or Template:Lang; Template:Langx) is a commune in the Nord department, Hauts-de-France, France.<ref>INSEE commune file</ref>

It lies on the Scheldt (Template:Langx) river. Although the city and region experienced a steady population decline between 1975 and 1990, it has since rebounded.

History

Early history

In 923, it passed to the Duchy of Lower Lotharingia dependent on the Holy Roman Empire. Once the Empire of the Franks was established, the city began to develop, though the archaeological record has still not revealed all it has to reveal about this period.Template:Cn

In 1259, Valenciennes was the site of a General Chapter of the Dominican Order at which Thomas Aquinas together with masters Bonushomo Britto,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Florentius,<ref>Probably Florentius de Hidinio, aka Florentius Gallicus, Histoire littéraire de la France: XIIIe siècle, Volume 19, p. 104, Accessed October 27, 2012</ref> Albert, and Peter took part in establishing a ratio studiorum or program of studies for the Dominican Order<ref>Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics, Volume 10, p. 701. Accessed 9 June 2011</ref> that featured the study of philosophy as an innovation for those not sufficiently trained to study theology. This innovation initiated the tradition of Dominican scholastic philosophy put into practice, for example, in 1265 at the Order's studium provinciale at the convent of Santa Sabina in Rome, out of which would develop the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Angelicum.<ref>"The Place of Study In the Ideal of St. Dominic" Template:Webarchive, J. A. Weisheipl, O.P. (1923–1984), 1960. Accessed 19 March 2013</ref>

1500–1793

Valenciennes in the 17th century

In 1524, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, arrived at Valenciennes, and – even when Henry II of France allied with him against the Protestants in 1552 – Valenciennes became (Template:Circa) an early center of Calvinism and in 1562 was location of the first act of resistance against persecution of Protestants in the Spanish Netherlands. On the "Journée des Mals Brûlés" (Bad Burnings Day) in 1562, a mob freed some Protestants condemned to die at the stake. In the wave of iconoclastic attacks called the Beeldenstorm that swept the Habsburg Netherlands in the summer of 1566, the city was the furthest south to see such an attack on August 24, 1566. It was also one of the first to feel the hand of repression after the siege and fall of the city on March 23, 1567. One of the victims of that repression was Guido de Bres, the author of the Belgic Confession. Following the "révolte des gueux's victory at Brielle, the army of Louis of Nassau, one of the major commanders of the Dutch rebel forces and supported by the Huguenot leader Gaspard de Coligny, invaded the Spanish Netherlands with an army composed of German, English, Scottish and French soldiers, and took Valenciennes on 21 May 1572.<ref name="The Eighty Years War (1568-1648)">The Eighty Years War (1568-1648)</ref><ref name="Tracy p. 82">Tracy p.82</ref> However, Louis went on to Mons, and the Protestant garrison left behind offered only a feeble defence to the Duke of Alba, at the head of the bulk of the Spanish army, who recaptured Valenciennes in early June 1572, depriving Louis's French allies of one of their main bases.<ref name="Duffy-1">Duffy. Siege Warfare: Fortress in the Early Modern World</ref>

The French army laid siege to the city in 1656 (Vauban participated in this siege without a command<ref>Martin Barros, Nicole Salat et Thierry Sarmant. Vauban – L’intelligence du territoire. Éditions Nicolas Chaudun et Service historique de l'armée, Paris, 2006. Préface de Jean Nouvel. 175 p, Template:ISBN, p 166</ref>). Defending the city, Albert de Merode, marquis de Trélon was injured during a sortie on horseback, died as a result of his injuries and was buried in the Church of St. Paul (his tomb was found during the archaeological campaign in 1990).Template:Cn

In 1677, the armies of Louis XIV of France (this time led by Vauban<ref>Barros et alii, p. 167.</ref>) captured the city and in 1678 the Treaty of Nijmegen gave the French control of Valenciennes (1678) and the surrounding southern part of Hainault, roughly cutting the former county in half.Template:Citation needed

1793–1914

File:The Grand Attack on Valenciennes.png
The Grand Attack on Valenciennes by Philip James de Loutherbourg, 1794

The city was besieged by the First Coalition against Revolutionary France in 1793.<ref>A painting of the siege was commissioned in 1793-4 from Philippe-Jacques de Loutherbourg by the publishers V. and R. Green and Christian von Mechel, who later commissioned a companion piece for it, Lord Howe's action, or the Glorious First of June. The two paintings were sold to Mr T. Vernon of Liverpool in 1799 and the 'Valenciennes' finished up in Lord Hesketh's collection at Easton Neston.</ref> F

First World War

During World War I the German army occupied the town in 1914. They were finally driven out by British forces at the Battle of Valenciennes in 1918, 'in which seven British divisions attacked eleven German divisions'. One dramatic first-hand experience of this battle is provided by A. S. Bullock who fought at a section of the front near Maresches.<ref>Bullock, A. S., Gloucestershire Between the Wars: A Memoir, The History Press, 2009, pages 84–85</ref>

1945 to present

The town's first antenna was set up in Lille in 1964, then the Centre universitaire was set up in 1970, becoming independent in 1979 as the University of Valenciennes and Hainaut-Cambrésis.Template:Citation needed

In 2005, a local resident, Isabelle Dinoire, became the first person to have a partial face transplant.

Geography

Climate

Valenciennes has an oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification Cfb). The average annual temperature in Valenciennes is Template:Cvt. The average annual rainfall is Template:Cvt with December as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in July, at around Template:Cvt, and lowest in January, at around Template:Cvt. The highest temperature ever recorded in Valenciennes was Template:Cvt on 25 July 2019; the coldest temperature ever recorded was Template:Cvt on 7 January 2009.

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Population

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Main sights

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The Hôtel de Ville (City Hall)
File:Valenciennes, Frankrijk Jun 02, 2019 02-28-11 PM.jpeg
Museum of Fine Arts of Valenciennes

The Hindenburg Line ran through Valenciennes during World War I, leading to extensive destruction. Valenciennes was again almost completely destroyed during World War II, and has since been rebuilt in concrete.

A few surviving monuments are: 1) The façade of the Hôtel de Ville (City Hall), which managed to survive the bombardments of the war; 2) the Basilica of Notre-Dame du Saint-Cordon, to which there is an annual pilgrimage; 3) La Maison Espagnole, the remains of the Spanish occupation, which ended in 1678. The building is now used as the town's tourist information office; 4)

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The Dodenne Tower

The Dodenne Tower, the remaining part of the medieval fortifications after Charles V ordered them reduced; 5) Théâtre le Phenix, a theatre and performing arts venue constructed in 1998; 6) The "Beffroi", a large, pin-like monument Template:Cvt in height, built in 2007 on the site of the former belfry.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

File:Office du Tourisme, Valenciennes.jpg
La Maison Espagnole, now home to the tourist information office
File:Le Phénix.jpg
Théâtre Le Phénix

Economy

Template:Unreferenced section Valenciennes is historically renowned for its lace. Until the 1970s, the main industries were steel and textiles. Since their decline, reconversion attempts focus mainly on automobile production. In 2001, Toyota built its Western European assembly line for the Toyota Yaris in Onnaing near Valenciennes. Sevel has an assembly facility at nearby Lieu-Saint-Amand. Because of this and other changes, the average unemployment in the region is now below the national average. The nearby town of Petite-Forêt is home to major Alstom workshops.

On 15 July 2004, the Administrative Board of the European Union's Railway Agency held its first meeting in Phénix, with representatives of the 25 Member States and François Lamoureux, those days Director General for Energy and Transportation at the European Commission. Valenciennes was picked as the European Railway Agency headquarters in December 2003. International conferences are held in Lille.

Public transport

File:Tramway valenciennes station.jpg
Valenciennes tramway line No. 1 – Université Station
File:Ligne A du tramway de Valenciennes (208).JPG
Gare de Valenciennes

Line No. 1 of the Tramway de Valenciennes was put into service on 3 July 2006. Template:Cvt long, this tramway crosses the five communes in the Valenciennois Metropolitan area, at a cost of 242.75 million Euros.

Valenciennes railway station offers connections with Lille, Paris and several regional destinations.

Administration

Valenciennes is a subprefecture of the Nord département.

Mayors since 1947

  • 1947–1988: Pierre Carous, resigned (died in 1990)
  • 1988–1989: Olivier Marlière
  • 1989–2002: Jean-Louis Borloo, resigned when he entered the national government
  • 2002–2012: Dominique Riquet
  • 2012–present: Laurent Degallaix

Education

The municipality has eight individual preschools.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The municipality has eight individual primary schools and four school groups.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The municipality has five junior high schools (three public and two private) and seven senior high schools/sixth form colleges (four public and three private).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Notable people

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Template:Colend• Marguerite Porete (born 1258-1310), author of The Mirror of the Simple Souls. Considered heretical her book was burned in the Place d’Armes in Valenciennes in 1306.

Sport

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Stade du Hainaut

Valenciennes FC is based in the city.

Twin towns – sister cities

Template:See also Valenciennes is twinned with:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

See also

References

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