Mons
Encyclopedia
Mons is a Walloon city
and municipality located in the Belgian
province
of Hainaut, of which it is the capital. The Mons municipality
includes the old communes of Cuesmes
, Flénu
, Ghlin
, Hyon
, Nimy
, Obourg
, Baudour
(partly), Jemappes
, Ciply
, Harmignies
, Harveng
, Havré
, Maisières
, Mesvin
, Nouvelles
, Saint-Denis
, Saint-Symphorien
, Spiennes
, Villers-Saint-Ghislain
, Casteau
(partly), Masnuy-Saint-Jean
(partly), and Ville-sur-Haine
(partly). Together with the Czech city of Plzeň, Mons was selected to be the European capital of culture in 2015.
The first signs of activity in the region of Mons can be found at Spiennes
, where some of the best flint
tools in Europe
were found dating from the Neolithic
period. When Julius Caesar
arrived in the region in the 1st century BC, the region was settled by the Nervii
. A castrum was built in Roman
times, giving the settlement its first Latin
name Castrilocus; the name was later changed into Montes for the hills on which the castrum was built. In the 7th century, Saint Ghislain
and two of his disciples built an oratory
or chapel
dedicated to Saints Peter
and Paul
near the Mons hill, at a place called Ursidongus, now known as Saint-Ghislain
. Soon after, Saint Waltrude
(in French
Sainte Waudru), daughter of one of Clotaire II
’s intendants, came to the oratory and was proclaimed a saint upon her death in 688. She was canonized
in 1039.
Like Ath
, its neighbour to the north-west, Mons was made a fortified city by Baldwin IV, Count of Hainaut
in the 12th century. The population grew quickly, trade flourished, and several commercial buildings were erected near the Grand’Place. The 12th century also saw the appearance of the first town halls. The city had 4,700 inhabitants by the end of the 13th century. Mons succeeded Valenciennes
as the capital of the county of Hainaut in 1295 and grew to 8,900 inhabitants by the end of the 15th century. In the 1450s, Matheus de Layens
took over the construction of the Saint Waltrude church from Jan Spijkens and restored the town hall.
took an oath in Mons as Count of Hainaut. In this period of its history, the city became the target of various occupations, starting in May 1572 with the Protestant
takeover by Louis of Nassau
, who had hoped to clear the way for the French
Protestant leader Gaspard de Coligny
to oppose Spanish rule. After the murder of de Coligny
during the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre
, the Duke of Alba took control of Mons in September of 1572 in the name of the Catholic
King of Spain
. This spelled the ruin of the city and the arrest of many of its inhabitants; from 1580 to 1584, Mons became the capital of the Southern Netherlands
.
On April 8, 1691, after a nine-month siege, Louis XIV’s army stormed the city, which again suffered heavy casualties. From 1697 to 1701, Mons was alternately French or Austria
n. After being under French control from 1701 to 1709, the Dutch
army gained the upper hand in the Battle of Malplaquet
. In 1715, Mons returned to Austria under the terms of the Treaty of Utrecht
(1713). But the French did not give up easily; Louis XV besieged the city again in 1746. After the Battle of Jemappes
(1792), the Hainaut area was annexed to France and Mons became the capital of the Jemappes
district.
in 1814, King William I of the Netherlands
fortified the city heavily. In 1830, however, Belgium gained its independence and the decision was made to dismantle fortified cities such as Mons, Charleroi
, and Namur
. The actual removal of fortifications only happened in the 1860s, allowing the creation of large boulevards and other urban projects. The Industrial Revolution
and coal mining
made Mons a center of heavy industry, which strongly influenced the culture and image of the Borinage
region as a whole. It was to become an integral part of the sillon industriel
, the industrial backbone of Wallonia.
, seven strikers were killed by the civic guard at the end of the Belgian general strike of 1893
.
The proposed law on universal suffrage was approved the day after by the Belgian Parliament.
This General strike
was one of the first general strikes in an industrial country.
fought by the British Army
in World War I
. The British were forced to retreat
and the town was occupied by the Germans, until its liberation by the Canadian Corps
during the final days of the war. As an important industrial centre, the city was heavily bombed and several skirmishes took place in September 1944 between the American troops and the retreating German forces. After the war, most industries went into decline.
NATO's Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
(SHAPE) was relocated in Casteau
, a village near Mons, from Fontainebleau
after France's withdrawal from the military structure of the alliance in 1967. The relocation of SHAPE to this particular region of Belgium was largely a political decision, based in large part on the depressed economic conditions of the area at the time with the view to bolstering the economy of the region. A riot in the prison of Mons took place in April 2006 after prisoner complaints concerning living conditions and treatment; no deaths were reported as a result of the riot, but the event focused attention on prisons throughout Belgium. Today, the city is an important university town and commercial centre.
.
Mons railway station opened on 19 December 1841.
and a tennis tournament called the Ethias Trophy
.
In commercial areas, the ground floor is used as commercial space, while other floors are used for housing. Generally behind the houses there is a small garden.
The outskirts of the city are also generally made of brick terraced houses. They nevertheless have the largest green spaces in the front or rear. In more remote areas of the centre, there are four facades of the villas.
After the Second World War the city experienced rather limited construction of buildings.
Some public housing have been built in Ghlin, Hyon Jemappes and in the suburbs of the city.
Since the late 1990s and especially since the arson which took place in one of these buildings, the city undertook a policy of deconstruction of these houses which is still in progress at the moment. A whole series of social buildings are evenly dispersed in the downtown and surrounding suburbs.
16,5% of the city's population lives in apartment (17% in Belgium) and 82.7% in single-family home (82.3% in Belgium). Of the 82.7% of single family homes, only 26% (37.3% in Belgium) are separate houses, while 55.7% (44.4 in Belgium) are detached or terraced houses. That's pretty much a small town in Belgium. Large municipalities have in fact less number of single family homes, but many more apartments whereas the smallest towns have few apartments and a lot of single family homes. It is interesting to note that the figures show very clearly the strong presence of terraced houses rather than separate houses: it exemplifies the urbanization of downtown, but also urban cores such as Jemappes
et Cuesmes
.
The outskirts of the place is accessible by car, but it is forbidden to park or drive through the centre.
Each year it is represented as an action theatre called Lumeçon
, a battle between saint Georges and dragon.
The main square is also equipped with a fountain, which opened on . It also hosts a Christmas market and sometimes an ice rink during holiday period.
The facade of the building called "au Blan Levrie" signifies care with which the city could unite the old and the modern. It is the first authorised building in the main square which was made of stone to avoid fire incidents.It was built in 1530 in Gothic style, for the rich family Malapert. In 1975, the architects A. Godart and O. Dupire were assigned to build a bank. They proceeded to undress complete interior volumes and precise survey of the whole and clear, before defining the restoration project. The facade had been completely restored as it was, sometimes (as below) by extending the design of mouldings remained intact in the columns. Or also for the fenestration impossible him to rebuild as it was given the lack of clues. Therefore, "The choice was directed towards a contemporary discrete, appearing in second test: they are steel frame whose profiles are thinner. » Impression yet reinforced by the way of which was treated at the entrance gate.
It was in 1323 that Count William I gave permission to build the House of Peace on the location of the current City Hall. This is called a "Town House" built in stones and bricks at the base, the superstructure is of wood. This building underwent various changes during the fifteenth century until 1477, when the nearby shop in the arsenal exploded.
The architect of the City Hall of Leuven, Matthew Layens, was called to draw up plans.
It should be a building in Gothic style, but it seems that the plan (which was not found) was not met, including the abandonment of the second floor, which was yet scheduled. The Renaissance campanile was added in the eighteenth century. It contains a bell dating from 1390, the Bancloque, and carries a clock dial overlooking the Grand Place and a light clock. The nineteenth century saw various modifications of the facade, the removal of stone mullions to the floor and various stone ornaments.
In its current state, the Town Hall has a remarkable collection of various buildings housing a large proportion of municipal services. These buildings have undergone many changes over the centuries, restorations and additions of elements from other buildings, such as a gothic style fireplace of castle Trazegnies, carved doors of the XVI century from demolition, fireplace From the castle of Gouy-lez-Pedestrian, another fire in 1603 from the Chateau d'Havre.
On was inaugurated a bronze statuary group by Garouste Gerard, author of a fresco for the wedding hall. The work, evoking the combat of St. George and the dragon is in front of City Hall, at the bottom of the stairs ramps providing access to one of the entrances of City Hall.
the church: édifices antérieurs,
projet,
chantier,
réparations et restauration;
the tower: projet,
chantier Retrieved 15 July 2011
Continued with:
pourquoi brabançonne ?,
relation avec autres églises brabançonnes Retrieved 15 July 2011
The collegiate was built in the fifteenth century on the orders of canons. Along with the nearby belfry it is considered as a major symbol of the city of Mons. It contains many works of Jacques Du Brœucq.
It is made of local materials like sandstone, blue stone and brick It is designed in a classic form which is expressed by a Latin cross sign. It measures 115 metres long, 32 metres wide and rises to 24.5 metres at the keystone. The chancel
is surrounded by an ambulatory
and 15 chapels.
Victor Hugo
said of the belfry in a letter to his wife:
"a coffepot flanked over four smaller teapots".
The buildings were restored in 1919-1920, on the plans of the communal architect E. Bertiaux and are occupied by the Maison de la Presse.
The "water machine” still bears witness to the sanitary and hygiene concerns which arose in Mons in 1865-1870, it marks the transition from medieval water supply wells, springs and hand pumps, for operation of pumps suction and force.The water came from springs fed Mons de la Valliere and hole-to-mouse Spiennes Slutty using only force driving the hydraulic motor.
This progress at domestic level transformed the townspeople's way of life. They used to get water from wells or fountains, sometimes over a hundred yards from their homes. She has performed in the continuity of another urban project: the introduction in 1828 of city gas to illuminate new avenues and streets. These two changes are made possible by the demolition of the fortifications, which releases the land, and the diversion of Trouille including the strategic role of supply ditches was then passed.
The “water machine" was restored in the early 1990's and the building now hosts various cultural events.The machinery was dismantled.
The Turkish hezel is one of the remarkable trees in the park.
A 5 hectare landscaped park was built in mid 19th century and consists of age-old trees, water features , lakes and lawns. Various memorials and outdoor sculptures, including works of sculptors Grard, Deville, Hupet, and Guilmot Harvent, are placed. The park also contains various species of age-old trees.
The Technical and Vocational School of Horticulture was established in 1863, it was installed under the authority of the corporation of Waux Hall. It became communal in 1892 at the time of acquisition of Waux Hall by the city of Mons, and then came under the authority of the province of Hainaut in 2006.In 2009 this event was moved to the Grand Place.
The Lodge masonic the Perfect Union is the oldest in Belgium and perhaps even the continent. It was founded in 1721. At that time, Mons became a masonic center followed by the creation of several new lodges (Vraie et parfaite harmonie (1767), À l'Orient de Mons (1783) et la Ligue équitable (1786)).
After the French Revolution, the meetings were held in different locations, and an event was organized by The Perfect Union for the construction of a permanent building. The plans of the architect Hector Puchot were retained in 1890. The Neo-Egyptian style then became a reference for Masonic architecture, and we can consider the lodge of Mons as a model of its kind with its numerous motives "Egyptian" papyrus capitals, frieze lotus bud, etc..
Maintaining its military purpose until the late 1940s, the building was then used by the Royal Grammar School John Avesnes 1960s to early 1990s. Since the completion of the conversion carried out between 1993 and 1995, Carré des Arts hosts the Graduate School of Arts and visual (ESAPV) and regional television TV Borinage Mons (Tele MB) .
The tower has housed within it a sound installation in the festival of contemporary art audio-visual CitySonics when it reopened .
Opened in May 2007, all buildings already present (January 2011) many problems of water seepage and stability. Thus one of the gateways weighing a hundred kilos is off its hinges and nearly fell on a lawyer who entered, cracks between concrete blocks, the joints of windows letting in wind and water, it rains in the concourse ... The lack of maintenance contract would be the cause of these problems, but minor departure from getting worse .
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
and municipality located in the Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
province
Provinces of Belgium
Belgium is divided into three regions, two of them are subdivided into five provinces each.The division into provinces is fixed by Article 5 of the Belgian Constitution...
of Hainaut, of which it is the capital. The Mons municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
includes the old communes of Cuesmes
Cuesmes
Cuesmes is a village near the Belgian town Mons in the province of Hainaut. The artist Vincent Van Gogh was a resident....
, Flénu
Flénu
Flénu is a village near the Belgian town Mons in the province of Hainaut....
, Ghlin
Ghlin
Ghlin is a village near the Belgian town Mons in the province of Hainaut.- People born in Ghlin :* Charles Plisnier , writer winner of the Prix Goncourt in 1937- See also :Grand Large...
, Hyon
Hyon
Hyon is a village near the Belgian town Mons in the province of Hainaut.On 11 November 1918, the 19th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force liberated Hyon at the end of World War I....
, Nimy
Nimy
Nimy is a village near the Belgian town of Mons in the province of Hainaut. In 1914, it was the scene of heavy fighting during the Battle of Mons, the first action of the British Expeditionary Force in World War I.- Gallery :...
, Obourg
Obourg
Obourg is a village near the Belgian town of Mons in the province of Hainaut. Obourg was known for its tobacco in the past.- Gallery :...
, Baudour
Baudour
Baudour is a village near the Belgian towns of Saint-Ghislain and Mons in the province of Hainaut.*Henri Delmotte was born in Baudour...
(partly), Jemappes
Jemappes
Jemappes is a Walloon town in south-western Belgium, province Hainaut. Since 1976, it is part of the city Mons...
, Ciply
Ciply
Ciply is a village near the Belgian town of Mons in the province of Hainaut.- Gallery :...
, Harmignies
Harmignies
Harmignies is a village near the Belgian town of Mons in the province of hainaut.- Gallery :...
, Harveng
Harveng
Harveng is a village near the Belgian town of Mons in the province of Hainaut.- Gallery :...
, Havré
Havré
Havré is a village near the Belgian town of Mons in the province of Hainaut.- Gallery :...
, Maisières
Maisières
Maisières is a village near the Belgian town of Mons in the province of Hainaut....
, Mesvin
Mesvin
Mesvin is a village near the Belgian town of Mons in the province of Hainaut.- Gallery :...
, Nouvelles
Nouvelles
Nouvelles is a village near the Belgian town of Mons in the province of Hainaut.- Gallery :...
, Saint-Denis
Saint-Denis (Mons)
Saint-Denis is a village near the Belgian town Mons in the province of Hainaut....
, Saint-Symphorien
Saint-Symphorien(Mons)
Saint-Symphorien is a village near the Belgian town Mons in the province of Hainaut. The village's military cemetery contains about 500 German and Commonwealth graves from the First World War....
, Spiennes
Spiennes
Spiennes is a Walloon village in the municipality of Mons, Belgium.It is well known for its neolithic flint mines, which are on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 2000....
, Villers-Saint-Ghislain
Villers-Saint-Ghislain
Villers-Saint-Ghislain is a village near the Belgian town of Mons in the province of Hainaut.- Gallery :...
, Casteau
Casteau
Casteau is a village of Belgium in the French-speaking region. With the others villages Chaussée-Notre-Dame-Louvignies, Horrues, Naast, Neufvilles, Soignies , and Thieusies, they compose the municipality of Soignies....
(partly), Masnuy-Saint-Jean
Masnuy-Saint-Jean
Masnuy-Saint-Jean is a village near the Belgian town of Jurbise in the province of hainaut....
(partly), and Ville-sur-Haine
Ville-sur-Haine
Ville-sur-Haine is a village near the Belgian town of Le Rœulx in the province of Hainaut.It is where Canadian private George Lawrence Price, known as the last soldier of the British Empire to be killed in the First World War, died just two minutes before the armistice went into effect....
(partly). Together with the Czech city of Plzeň, Mons was selected to be the European capital of culture in 2015.
Early settlements in the Middle Ages
Spiennes
Spiennes is a Walloon village in the municipality of Mons, Belgium.It is well known for its neolithic flint mines, which are on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 2000....
, where some of the best flint
Flint
Flint is a hard, sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as a variety of chert. It occurs chiefly as nodules and masses in sedimentary rocks, such as chalks and limestones. Inside the nodule, flint is usually dark grey, black, green, white, or brown in colour, and...
tools in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
were found dating from the Neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
period. When Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
arrived in the region in the 1st century BC, the region was settled by the Nervii
Nervii
The Nervii were an ancient Germanic tribe, and one of the most powerful Belgic tribes; living in the northeastern hinterlands of Gaul, they were known to trek long distances to engage in various wars and functions...
. A castrum was built in Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
times, giving the settlement its first Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
name Castrilocus; the name was later changed into Montes for the hills on which the castrum was built. In the 7th century, Saint Ghislain
Saint Ghislain
Saint Ghislain was a confessor and anchorite in Belgium. He died at the town named after him, Saint-Ghislain ....
and two of his disciples built an oratory
Oratory (worship)
An oratory is a Christian room for prayer, from the Latin orare, to pray.-Catholic church:In the Roman Catholic Church, an oratory is a structure other than a parish church, set aside by ecclesiastical authority for prayer and the celebration of Mass...
or chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
dedicated to Saints Peter
Saint Peter
Saint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle...
and Paul
Paul of Tarsus
Paul the Apostle , also known as Saul of Tarsus, is described in the Christian New Testament as one of the most influential early Christian missionaries, with the writings ascribed to him by the church forming a considerable portion of the New Testament...
near the Mons hill, at a place called Ursidongus, now known as Saint-Ghislain
Saint-Ghislain
Saint-Ghislain is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. On 1 January 2006 the municipality had 22,466 inhabitants. The total area is 70.18 km², giving a population density of 320 inhabitants per km²....
. Soon after, Saint Waltrude
Waltrude
Saint Waltrude is the patron saint of Mons, Belgium, where she is known in French as Sainte Waudru, and of Herentals, Belgium, where she is known in Dutch as Sint-Waldetrudis or -Waltrudis. Both cities boast a large medieval church that bears her name.Married to the Count of Hainault, she raised...
(in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
Sainte Waudru), daughter of one of Clotaire II
Clotaire II
Chlothar II , called the Great or the Young , King of Neustria, and, from 613 to 629, King of all the Franks, was not yet born when his father, King Chilperic I died in 584...
’s intendants, came to the oratory and was proclaimed a saint upon her death in 688. She was canonized
Canonization
Canonization is the act by which a Christian church declares a deceased person to be a saint, upon which declaration the person is included in the canon, or list, of recognized saints. Originally, individuals were recognized as saints without any formal process...
in 1039.
Like Ath
Ath
Ath is a Belgian municipality located in the Walloon province of Hainaut. The Ath municipality includes the old communes of Lanquesaint, Irchonwelz, Ormeignies, Bouvignies, Ostiches, Rebaix, Maffle, Arbre, Houtaing, Ligne, Mainvault, Moulbaix, Villers-Notre-Dame, Villers-Saint-Amand, Ghislenghien...
, its neighbour to the north-west, Mons was made a fortified city by Baldwin IV, Count of Hainaut
Baldwin IV, Count of Hainaut
Baldwin IV was count of Hainaut from 1120 to his death. He was the son of Baldwin III, Count of Hainaut, and Yolande de Wassenberg.-History:...
in the 12th century. The population grew quickly, trade flourished, and several commercial buildings were erected near the Grand’Place. The 12th century also saw the appearance of the first town halls. The city had 4,700 inhabitants by the end of the 13th century. Mons succeeded Valenciennes
Valenciennes
Valenciennes is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It lies on the Scheldt river. Although the city and region had seen a steady decline between 1975 and 1990, it has since rebounded...
as the capital of the county of Hainaut in 1295 and grew to 8,900 inhabitants by the end of the 15th century. In the 1450s, Matheus de Layens
Matheus de Layens
Matheus de Layens was a Brabantine architect from the 15th century.He was employed in Leuven from 1433, first under the architect Sulpitius van Vorst , and afterwards under Jan Keldermans II, whom he succeeded in 1445 as master mason...
took over the construction of the Saint Waltrude church from Jan Spijkens and restored the town hall.
From 1500 to 1800
In 1515, Charles VCharles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
took an oath in Mons as Count of Hainaut. In this period of its history, the city became the target of various occupations, starting in May 1572 with the Protestant
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
takeover by Louis of Nassau
Louis of Nassau
Louis of Nassau was the third son of William, Count of Nassau and Juliana of Stolberg, and the younger brother of Prince William of Orange Nassau....
, who had hoped to clear the way for the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Protestant leader Gaspard de Coligny
Gaspard de Coligny
Gaspard de Coligny , Seigneur de Châtillon, was a French nobleman and admiral, best remembered as a disciplined Huguenot leader in the French Wars of Religion.-Ancestry:...
to oppose Spanish rule. After the murder of de Coligny
Gaspard de Coligny
Gaspard de Coligny , Seigneur de Châtillon, was a French nobleman and admiral, best remembered as a disciplined Huguenot leader in the French Wars of Religion.-Ancestry:...
during the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre
St. Bartholomew's Day massacre
The St. Bartholomew's Day massacre in 1572 was a targeted group of assassinations, followed by a wave of Roman Catholic mob violence, both directed against the Huguenots , during the French Wars of Religion...
, the Duke of Alba took control of Mons in September of 1572 in the name of the Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
King of Spain
Spanish monarchy
The Monarchy of Spain, constitutionally referred to as The Crown and commonly referred to as the Spanish monarchy or Hispanic Monarchy, is a constitutional institution and an historic office of Spain...
. This spelled the ruin of the city and the arrest of many of its inhabitants; from 1580 to 1584, Mons became the capital of the Southern Netherlands
Southern Netherlands
Southern Netherlands were a part of the Low Countries controlled by Spain , Austria and annexed by France...
.
On April 8, 1691, after a nine-month siege, Louis XIV’s army stormed the city, which again suffered heavy casualties. From 1697 to 1701, Mons was alternately French or Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n. After being under French control from 1701 to 1709, the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
army gained the upper hand in the Battle of Malplaquet
Battle of Malplaquet
The Battle of Malplaquet, fought on 11 September 1709, was one of the main battles of the War of the Spanish Succession, which opposed the Bourbons of France and Spain against an alliance whose major members were the Habsburg Monarchy, Great Britain, the United Provinces and the Kingdom of...
. In 1715, Mons returned to Austria under the terms of the Treaty of Utrecht
Treaty of Utrecht
The Treaty of Utrecht, which established the Peace of Utrecht, comprises a series of individual peace treaties, rather than a single document, signed by the belligerents in the War of Spanish Succession, in the Dutch city of Utrecht in March and April 1713...
(1713). But the French did not give up easily; Louis XV besieged the city again in 1746. After the Battle of Jemappes
Battle of Jemappes
The Battle of Jemappes took place near the town of Jemappes in Hainaut, Belgium, near Mons. General Charles François Dumouriez, in command of the French Revolutionary Army, defeated the greatly outnumbered Austrian army of Field Marshal Duke Albert of Saxe-Teschen and his second-in-command...
(1792), the Hainaut area was annexed to France and Mons became the capital of the Jemappes
Jemappes
Jemappes is a Walloon town in south-western Belgium, province Hainaut. Since 1976, it is part of the city Mons...
district.
From 1800 to the present
Following the fall of the First French EmpireFirst French Empire
The First French Empire , also known as the Greater French Empire or Napoleonic Empire, was the empire of Napoleon I of France...
in 1814, King William I of the Netherlands
William I of the Netherlands
William I Frederick, born Willem Frederik Prins van Oranje-Nassau , was a Prince of Orange and the first King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg....
fortified the city heavily. In 1830, however, Belgium gained its independence and the decision was made to dismantle fortified cities such as Mons, Charleroi
Charleroi
Charleroi is a city and a municipality of Wallonia, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. , the total population of Charleroi was 201,593. The metropolitan area, including the outer commuter zone, covers an area of and had a total population of 522,522 as of 1 January 2008, ranking it as...
, and Namur
Namur (city)
Namur is a city and municipality in Wallonia, in southern Belgium. It is both the capital of the province of Namur and of Wallonia....
. The actual removal of fortifications only happened in the 1860s, allowing the creation of large boulevards and other urban projects. The Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
and coal mining
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
made Mons a center of heavy industry, which strongly influenced the culture and image of the Borinage
Borinage
The Borinage is an area in the Walloon province of Hainaut. The provincial capital Mons is located in the east of the Borinage. In French the inhabitants are called Borains...
region as a whole. It was to become an integral part of the sillon industriel
Sillon industriel
The sillon industriel is the former industrial backbone of Wallonia and thus of Belgium. It runs across Wallonia, passing from Dour, in Borinage, in the west, to Verviers in the east, through Mons, La Louvière, Charleroi, Namur, Huy, and Liège, following the valleys of the rivers Haine, Sambre,...
, the industrial backbone of Wallonia.
Riots of Mons
In 1893 (17 April), between Mons and JemappesJemappes
Jemappes is a Walloon town in south-western Belgium, province Hainaut. Since 1976, it is part of the city Mons...
, seven strikers were killed by the civic guard at the end of the Belgian general strike of 1893
Belgian general strike of 1893
The Belgian general strike of 1893 was ordered by the General Board of the Belgian Labour Party after the Belgian Parliament rejected the Law Proposal on universal suffrage....
.
The proposed law on universal suffrage was approved the day after by the Belgian Parliament.
This General strike
General strike
A general strike is a strike action by a critical mass of the labour force in a city, region, or country. While a general strike can be for political goals, economic goals, or both, it tends to gain its momentum from the ideological or class sympathies of the participants...
was one of the first general strikes in an industrial country.
Battle of Mons
On August 23 and 24, 1914, Mons was the site of the first battleBattle of Mons
The Battle of Mons was the first major action of the British Expeditionary Force in the First World War. It was a subsidiary action of the Battle of the Frontiers, in which the Allies clashed with Germany on the French borders. At Mons, the British army attempted to hold the line of the...
fought by the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. The British were forced to retreat
Withdrawal (military)
A withdrawal is a type of military operation, generally meaning retreating forces back while maintaining contact with the enemy. A withdrawal may be undertaken as part of a general retreat, to consolidate forces, to occupy ground that is more easily defended, or to lead the enemy into an ambush...
and the town was occupied by the Germans, until its liberation by the Canadian Corps
Canadian Corps
The Canadian Corps was a World War I corps formed from the Canadian Expeditionary Force in September 1915 after the arrival of the 2nd Canadian Division in France. The corps was expanded by the addition of the 3rd Canadian Division in December 1915 and the 4th Canadian Division in August 1916...
during the final days of the war. As an important industrial centre, the city was heavily bombed and several skirmishes took place in September 1944 between the American troops and the retreating German forces. After the war, most industries went into decline.
NATO's Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe is the central command of NATO military forces. It is located at Casteau, north of the Belgian city of Mons...
(SHAPE) was relocated in Casteau
Casteau
Casteau is a village of Belgium in the French-speaking region. With the others villages Chaussée-Notre-Dame-Louvignies, Horrues, Naast, Neufvilles, Soignies , and Thieusies, they compose the municipality of Soignies....
, a village near Mons, from Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southeast of the centre of Paris. Fontainebleau is a sub-prefecture of the Seine-et-Marne department, and it is the seat of the arrondissement of Fontainebleau...
after France's withdrawal from the military structure of the alliance in 1967. The relocation of SHAPE to this particular region of Belgium was largely a political decision, based in large part on the depressed economic conditions of the area at the time with the view to bolstering the economy of the region. A riot in the prison of Mons took place in April 2006 after prisoner complaints concerning living conditions and treatment; no deaths were reported as a result of the riot, but the event focused attention on prisons throughout Belgium. Today, the city is an important university town and commercial centre.
Main sights
- The Grand Place is the centre of the historic town and the stage for the annual mock-battle of the Lumeçon.
- The City Hall, originally built near the current location of the belfryBelfries of Belgium and FranceThe Belfries of Belgium and France is a group of 56 historical buildings designated by UNESCO as World Heritage Site, in recognition of an architectural manifestation of emerging civic independence in historic Flanders and neighbouring regions from feudal and religious influences, leading to a...
, was moved on the Grand Place in the 13th century. The flamboyant gothic building we see today dates from the 15th century. In front of it stands a statue of a monkey, which is said to bring good fortune to those who pat his head. - The collegiate church of Sainte-Waudru (WaltrudeWaltrudeSaint Waltrude is the patron saint of Mons, Belgium, where she is known in French as Sainte Waudru, and of Herentals, Belgium, where she is known in Dutch as Sint-Waldetrudis or -Waltrudis. Both cities boast a large medieval church that bears her name.Married to the Count of Hainault, she raised...
) is paradoxically a good specimen of the Gothic architectureGothic architectureGothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
of BrabantDuchy of BrabantThe Duchy of Brabant was a historical region in the Low Countries. Its territory consisted essentially of the three modern-day Belgian provinces of Flemish Brabant, Walloon Brabant and Antwerp, the Brussels-Capital Region and most of the present-day Dutch province of North Brabant.The Flag of...
. - The neighbouring belfry, classified as a World Heritage SiteWorld Heritage SiteA UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
, dates from the 17th century and is the only BaroqueBaroqueThe Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
-style belfry in Belgium. - The so-called Spanish House dates from the 16th century.
Festivities
- The DoudouDucasse de MonsThe Ducasse de Mons or Doudou is a popular festival that happens every year during the Trinity Sunday in the town of Mons in Belgium...
is the name of a week-long series of festivities or Ducasse, which originates from the 14th century and takes place every year on Trinity SundayTrinity SundayTrinity Sunday is the first Sunday after Pentecost in the Western Christian liturgical calendar, and the Sunday of Pentecost in Eastern Christianity...
. Highlights include:- The entrusting of the reliquaryReliquaryA reliquary is a container for relics. These may be the physical remains of saints, such as bones, pieces of clothing, or some object associated with saints or other religious figures...
of Saint Waltrude to the mayor of the city on the eve of the procession. - The placement of the reliquary on the Car d’Or (Golden ChariotChariot (carriage)The chariot that evolved from the ancient vehicle of this name took on two main forms:* A light, four-wheeled, horse-drawn carriage having a coach box and back seats only, popular in the early 19th century....
), before it is carried in the city streets in a colourful processionProcessionA procession is an organized body of people advancing in a formal or ceremonial manner.-Procession elements:...
that counts more than a thousand costumed participants. - The lifting of the Car d’Or on a paved area near the church of Saint Waltrude; tradition holds that this operation must be successful for the city to prosper.
- The Lumeçon fight, where Saint GeorgeSaint GeorgeSaint George was, according to tradition, a Roman soldier from Syria Palaestina and a priest in the Guard of Diocletian, who is venerated as a Christian martyr. In hagiography Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Catholic , Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and the Oriental Orthodox...
confronts the dragon. The fight lasts for about half an hour, accompanied by the rhythmic "Doudou" music. The tradition of the processional dragon is listed among the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of HumanityMasterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of HumanityThe Proclamation of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity was made by the Director-General of UNESCO starting in 2001 to raise awareness on intangible cultural heritage and encourage local communities to protect them and the local people who sustain these forms of cultural...
.
- The entrusting of the reliquary
Education
There are two universities and one conservatory in Mons. They are:- Conservatoire royal de Mons or CRM
- Facultés universitaires catholiques de MonsFacultés universitaires catholiques de MonsThe Catholic university of Mons is a private university in the French Community of Belgium in Mons, Wallonia, Belgium. Its official language is French....
or FUCAM - Université de MonsUniversity of MonsThe University of Mons is a new Belgian university located in the city of Mons, created by merging the Engineering Faculty of Mons and the University of Mons-Hainaut...
or UMONS
Transportation
Mons is located along N56 roadN56 road (Belgium)
Route nationale 56 or N56 road is a Belgian national road linking Mons to Belgian A8 motorway....
.
Mons railway station opened on 19 December 1841.
Sports
The town hosts a football club named R.A.E.C. MonsR.A.E.C. Mons
R.A.E.C. Mons is a Belgian football club based in Mons, Belgium. The team was promoted to the Belgian Jupiler League recently on 29 May 2011 after beating Waasland-Beveren in a "Winner-Take-All" Test match of the Final Tour of the Belgian second division and has Re-Joined the Top Belgian League...
and a tennis tournament called the Ethias Trophy
Ethias Trophy
The Ethias Trophy is a professional tennis tournament played on indoor hard courts. It is currently part of the Association of Tennis Professionals Challenger Tour. It has been held annually in Mons, Belgium, since 2005.-Singles:-Doubles:...
.
Planning and architectural heritage
The centre consists largely of red brick houses. Although there are few old buildings and rarely new blue stone buildings, its use is generally limited to parts of the decorative walls. Much of the centre is made up of houses which are two or three storeys high.In commercial areas, the ground floor is used as commercial space, while other floors are used for housing. Generally behind the houses there is a small garden.
The outskirts of the city are also generally made of brick terraced houses. They nevertheless have the largest green spaces in the front or rear. In more remote areas of the centre, there are four facades of the villas.
After the Second World War the city experienced rather limited construction of buildings.
Some public housing have been built in Ghlin, Hyon Jemappes and in the suburbs of the city.
Since the late 1990s and especially since the arson which took place in one of these buildings, the city undertook a policy of deconstruction of these houses which is still in progress at the moment. A whole series of social buildings are evenly dispersed in the downtown and surrounding suburbs.
16,5% of the city's population lives in apartment (17% in Belgium) and 82.7% in single-family home (82.3% in Belgium). Of the 82.7% of single family homes, only 26% (37.3% in Belgium) are separate houses, while 55.7% (44.4 in Belgium) are detached or terraced houses. That's pretty much a small town in Belgium. Large municipalities have in fact less number of single family homes, but many more apartments whereas the smallest towns have few apartments and a lot of single family homes. It is interesting to note that the figures show very clearly the strong presence of terraced houses rather than separate houses: it exemplifies the urbanization of downtown, but also urban cores such as Jemappes
Jemappes
Jemappes is a Walloon town in south-western Belgium, province Hainaut. Since 1976, it is part of the city Mons...
et Cuesmes
Cuesmes
Cuesmes is a village near the Belgian town Mons in the province of Hainaut. The artist Vincent Van Gogh was a resident....
.
The main square
The main square is the centre of the old city. It is situated near the shopping street (pedestrian) and the belfry. It is paved in the manner of old cities and is home to many cafes and restaurants, as well as the Town Hall.The outskirts of the place is accessible by car, but it is forbidden to park or drive through the centre.
Each year it is represented as an action theatre called Lumeçon
Ducasse de Mons
The Ducasse de Mons or Doudou is a popular festival that happens every year during the Trinity Sunday in the town of Mons in Belgium...
, a battle between saint Georges and dragon.
The main square is also equipped with a fountain, which opened on . It also hosts a Christmas market and sometimes an ice rink during holiday period.
The facade of the building called "au Blan Levrie" signifies care with which the city could unite the old and the modern. It is the first authorised building in the main square which was made of stone to avoid fire incidents.It was built in 1530 in Gothic style, for the rich family Malapert. In 1975, the architects A. Godart and O. Dupire were assigned to build a bank. They proceeded to undress complete interior volumes and precise survey of the whole and clear, before defining the restoration project. The facade had been completely restored as it was, sometimes (as below) by extending the design of mouldings remained intact in the columns. Or also for the fenestration impossible him to rebuild as it was given the lack of clues. Therefore, "The choice was directed towards a contemporary discrete, appearing in second test: they are steel frame whose profiles are thinner. » Impression yet reinforced by the way of which was treated at the entrance gate.
History
Originally its communal organization, Mons was a City Hall called "House of Peace." Earlier the deputy mayors were on the castle of the Counts of Hainaut,and now it is only the conciergerier, Saint-Calixte chapel and some underground rooms and the chamber. This place is now Castle Park, where we can also see the belfry. Already in the thirteenth century, the counts mentioned the House of Peace, located in Nimy street. Other documents of the same team let suppose that there existed two Houses of Peace, the one in Nimy street and the other in the market area.It was in 1323 that Count William I gave permission to build the House of Peace on the location of the current City Hall. This is called a "Town House" built in stones and bricks at the base, the superstructure is of wood. This building underwent various changes during the fifteenth century until 1477, when the nearby shop in the arsenal exploded.
The current City Hall
The destroyed buildings were rebuilt and benefitted from new changes and additions over the centuries.The architect of the City Hall of Leuven, Matthew Layens, was called to draw up plans.
It should be a building in Gothic style, but it seems that the plan (which was not found) was not met, including the abandonment of the second floor, which was yet scheduled. The Renaissance campanile was added in the eighteenth century. It contains a bell dating from 1390, the Bancloque, and carries a clock dial overlooking the Grand Place and a light clock. The nineteenth century saw various modifications of the facade, the removal of stone mullions to the floor and various stone ornaments.
In its current state, the Town Hall has a remarkable collection of various buildings housing a large proportion of municipal services. These buildings have undergone many changes over the centuries, restorations and additions of elements from other buildings, such as a gothic style fireplace of castle Trazegnies, carved doors of the XVI century from demolition, fireplace From the castle of Gouy-lez-Pedestrian, another fire in 1603 from the Chateau d'Havre.
On was inaugurated a bronze statuary group by Garouste Gerard, author of a fresco for the wedding hall. The work, evoking the combat of St. George and the dragon is in front of City Hall, at the bottom of the stairs ramps providing access to one of the entrances of City Hall.
The garden of the notables
The buildings surrounding a small fleet of very irregular shape, the garden of the mayor, with an exit in the rue d'Enghien. There is the fountain of Ropieur, by the sculptor Léon Gobert (1869-1935): the ropieur is the symbol of Mons brat, drenching passersby with water from the fountain.The monkey's outpost
Outside the main entrance of City Hall is a small iron statue of a monkey. Its origin is not really known, but it dates back several centuries. Some historians claim it was placed there in order to bring luck to the city and its inhabitants. Today, the tradition is that whoever passes the monkey has to touch its head with his left hand for the fulfillment of a vow.One can notice in the picture that the head of the monkey is no longer the same colour as the rest of his body and it appears worn. His story is based on three assumptions: a masterpiece of a blacksmith who wished to access the mastery of his art, a pillory for troubled children or the sign of a tavern, "The tavern in the town square" which is found in the basement of Town hall. It was declared a lucky charm by a young mons in 1930.Saint Waltrude's Collegiate Church
Although located in the heart of the old County of Hainaut, Saint Waltrude's Collegiate Church (collégiale Sainte-Waudru in French) is one of the most characteristic churches and most homogeneous of Brabantine Gothic architecture.the church: édifices antérieurs,
projet,
chantier,
réparations et restauration;
the tower: projet,
chantier Retrieved 15 July 2011
Continued with:
pourquoi brabançonne ?,
relation avec autres églises brabançonnes Retrieved 15 July 2011
The collegiate was built in the fifteenth century on the orders of canons. Along with the nearby belfry it is considered as a major symbol of the city of Mons. It contains many works of Jacques Du Brœucq.
It is made of local materials like sandstone, blue stone and brick It is designed in a classic form which is expressed by a Latin cross sign. It measures 115 metres long, 32 metres wide and rises to 24.5 metres at the keystone. The chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
is surrounded by an ambulatory
Ambulatory
The ambulatory is the covered passage around a cloister. The term is sometimes applied to the procession way around the east end of a cathedral or large church and behind the high altar....
and 15 chapels.
The Belfry
Also called El Catiau by Montois, it was built in the seventeenth century. Belfry is the only building in Belgium that stands 87 m high and is built in baroque style. It contains, into the top, a 49 bells carillon. It is classified as a World Heritage of UNESCO since December 1 1999.Victor Hugo
Victor Hugo
Victor-Marie Hugo was a Frenchpoet, playwright, novelist, essayist, visual artist, statesman, human rights activist and exponent of the Romantic movement in France....
said of the belfry in a letter to his wife:
"a coffepot flanked over four smaller teapots".
Press house (Spanish house)
The Press House dates back to the 16th century, and is a rare example of a house in traditional Spanish style in Mons. It is made in a simple architectural way using brick. This material has economically developed after the fire incident in1548, when it was rebuilt the cost of the stone had increased. In 1548 the deputy mayor prohibited the use of flammable materials.The buildings were restored in 1919-1920, on the plans of the communal architect E. Bertiaux and are occupied by the Maison de la Presse.
The water machine
This industrial hall is all that remains of the “machine” that supplied Mons with drinkable water from 1871, the year when the river Trouille was diverted. Designed by the architect Hubert and the engineer Celi Moullan, this impressive machinery of pipes and mains was built in metal and glass and forced the water from the valley level up to the town water tanks in the castle place yard.The "water machine” still bears witness to the sanitary and hygiene concerns which arose in Mons in 1865-1870, it marks the transition from medieval water supply wells, springs and hand pumps, for operation of pumps suction and force.The water came from springs fed Mons de la Valliere and hole-to-mouse Spiennes Slutty using only force driving the hydraulic motor.
This progress at domestic level transformed the townspeople's way of life. They used to get water from wells or fountains, sometimes over a hundred yards from their homes. She has performed in the continuity of another urban project: the introduction in 1828 of city gas to illuminate new avenues and streets. These two changes are made possible by the demolition of the fortifications, which releases the land, and the diversion of Trouille including the strategic role of supply ditches was then passed.
The “water machine" was restored in the early 1990's and the building now hosts various cultural events.The machinery was dismantled.
Waux Hall
Waux Hall park was built in the nineteenth century (1862 - 1864) at the initiative of the Society of Waux Hall created for this purpose by members of the bourgeoisie. It is therefore the source of a private park. It is located at the site of Fort said that the Dutch formed an outwork the last fortification (1815-1864).Remnants of the fort still exist under the current pavillon. The gardens were designed by Louis Fuchs and the central pavilion was built by architect Joseph Hubert in tavern style.The Turkish hezel is one of the remarkable trees in the park.
A 5 hectare landscaped park was built in mid 19th century and consists of age-old trees, water features , lakes and lawns. Various memorials and outdoor sculptures, including works of sculptors Grard, Deville, Hupet, and Guilmot Harvent, are placed. The park also contains various species of age-old trees.
The Technical and Vocational School of Horticulture was established in 1863, it was installed under the authority of the corporation of Waux Hall. It became communal in 1892 at the time of acquisition of Waux Hall by the city of Mons, and then came under the authority of the province of Hainaut in 2006.In 2009 this event was moved to the Grand Place.
The Perfect Union
After the French Revolution, the meetings were held in different locations, and an event was organized by The Perfect Union for the construction of a permanent building. The plans of the architect Hector Puchot were retained in 1890. The Neo-Egyptian style then became a reference for Masonic architecture, and we can consider the lodge of Mons as a model of its kind with its numerous motives "Egyptian" papyrus capitals, frieze lotus bud, etc..
Art Square
William Barracks, renamed barracks Major Sabbe after the First World War and named for the 1990 Arts Square, dates from 1824-1827, at the time of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is the work of the architect Rémi de Puydt (1789-1844). The facade and roof of the building were listed in 1983 on the advice of the Royal Commission of Monuments, Sites and Excavations.Maintaining its military purpose until the late 1940s, the building was then used by the Royal Grammar School John Avesnes 1960s to early 1990s. Since the completion of the conversion carried out between 1993 and 1995, Carré des Arts hosts the Graduate School of Arts and visual (ESAPV) and regional television TV Borinage Mons (Tele MB) .
Fontaine-pillory
Three wells, fountains that decorated the streets of Mons have survived until today. This is the case of the fountain-pillory, Louis XVI style, built in 1779 by the blue stone Ouvertus architect.The Red-Well
Built in 1831 by Albert Jamot, this well was transferred to the central Marché-aux-Herbes in 1877 and has served as a fountain after the development of water supply in city during the years 1869-1870. It has regained its original location at the corner of the Coupe and the Chaussée in 1981 .After the Marché aux Herbes, the fountain (not connected to the water) was placed for a few years the Park at the far end of rue des 4 Fils Aymond.The casemates
The casemates and the bakery are the remains of military fortifications dating from the kingdom of the Netherlands (1814-1830). The law dividing the disassembly of the forifications dates back to 1861. They are located near the Nervienne site. The roof of the old bakery has been transformed into a public park and fun for children, while the casemates accommodate themusée de la Route.Valenciennois tower
This is the last existing trace of the medieval walls surrounding the city. This defensive structure built of sandstone of Bray was built around 1358. Its walls equipped with loopholes have a thickness of up to 4 meters. The tower has lost about a third of its original size. A project to install a terrace on its top open to the public just been completed in 2009.The tower has housed within it a sound installation in the festival of contemporary art audio-visual CitySonics when it reopened .
Concourse of the Courts
In 1966, the Council of Ministers decided to build new buildings to house the Courts of Justice : Assize Court, Labour Court, Court of Appeal, Court of Commerce, ... The choice is the site of the former "Hall of exposure". The client is the Building Authority and the architects for the project is designated the Office Aura (John Bartholomew). The triangular shape of the land has created interior spaces, decreasing in height and width, forming a sort of "cathedral space" underlined by a continuous central luminous line. On this major axis, the backbone of the project, create spaces for encounter and release. The latest techniques have been implemented for the economic management of energy, giving maximum comfort to staff and the public while ensuring the development of architectural building.Opened in May 2007, all buildings already present (January 2011) many problems of water seepage and stability. Thus one of the gateways weighing a hundred kilos is off its hinges and nearly fell on a lawyer who entered, cracks between concrete blocks, the joints of windows letting in wind and water, it rains in the concourse ... The lack of maintenance contract would be the cause of these problems, but minor departure from getting worse .
People born in Mons
- Gilles BinchoisGilles BinchoisGilles de Binche , also known as Gilles de Bins , was a Franco-Flemish composer, one of the earliest members of the Burgundian School, and one of the three most famous composers of the early 15th century...
, composer (15th century, birth in Mons is uncertain) - Jan ProvoostJan ProvoostJan Provoost, or Jean Provost, or Jan Provost was a Flemish painter. He was one of the most famous Netherlandish painters of his generation, a prolific master who left his early workshop in Valenciennes to run two workshops, one in Bruges, where he was made a burgher in 1494, the other...
, painter (15th-16th century) - Jacques du BroeucqJacques du BroeucqJacques du Broeucq was a sculptor and architect from Southern Netherlands.Jacques du Broeucq is perhaps best known as the teacher of Giambologna in Antwerp....
, painter and architect (16th century, birth in Mons is uncertain) - Orlande de LassusOrlande de LassusOrlande de Lassus was a Franco-Flemish composer of the late Renaissance...
, composer (16th century) - Guido de BresGuido de BresGuido de Bres was a Walloon pastor and theologian, a student of John Calvin and Theodore Beza in Geneva. He was born in Mons, County of Hainaut, Southern Netherlands, and martyred at Valenciennes, aged 45...
, theologian (1522 to 31 May 1567) - Nicolas NeufchatelNicolas NeufchatelNicolas Neufchatel or Neufchâtel , known as Lucidel, was a Flemish painter and draughtsman. He worked in Germany and was noted as one of the leading portrait painters of the 1560s.-Life:...
, painter (16th century) - Jean YeuwainJean YeuwainJean Yeuwain was a dramatist and man of letters born in the Southern Netherlands. In 1591 he produced Hippolyte, tragédie tournée de Sénèque, a French translation of Seneca's Phaedra....
, writer (16th - 17th century) - Giuseppe GrisoniGiuseppe GrisoniGiuseppe Pierre Joseph Grisoni , also known as Grifoni or Grison, was an Italian painter and sculptor, noted for his landscapes and historical tableaux....
, painter and sculptor (17th century) - François-Joseph FétisFrançois-Joseph FétisFrançois-Joseph Fétis was a Belgian musicologist, composer, critic and teacher. He was one of the most influential music critics of the 19th century, and his enormous compilation of biographical data in the Biographie universelle des musiciens remains an important source of information today...
, musicologist, composer, critic, and teacher (18th century) - François-Philippe de HaussyFrançois-Philippe de HaussyFrançois Philippe Louis Hyacinthe Joseph de Haussy was a Belgian businessman, liberal politician and civil servant. He was Belgian minister of justice from 1847 until 1850....
, first governor of the National Bank of BelgiumNational Bank of BelgiumThe National Bank of Belgium has been the central bank of Belgium since 1850...
(18th century) - Paul Émile de PuydtPaul Émile de PuydtPaul Émile de Puydt , a writer whose contributions included work in botany and economics, was born and died in Mons, Belgium.As a botanist, he notably wrote on orchids...
, botanist, economist, and writer (19th century) - Émile MotteÉmile MotteÉmile Motte was a Belgian painter. He was the director of l'Académie de Mons.-Works:*L'Homme à la loupe ;*La paix divine ;*La Jeune fille à la robe d'argent ;*Aux temps des aïeux....
, painter (19th century) - Louis DewisLouis DewisLouis Dewis was a Belgian Post-Impressionist painter, who lived most of his adult life in France.-Early life:Dewis was born Isidore Louis Dewachter in Mons, Belgium, the son of Isidore Louis Dewachter and Eloise Desmaret Dewachter...
, painter (19th century) - Charles PlisnierCharles PlisnierCharles Plisnier was a Belgian writer from Wallonia. He was a Communist in his youth and briefly belonged to the Trotskyist movement in the late 1920s....
, Walloon writer, Prix GoncourtPrix GoncourtThe Prix Goncourt is a prize in French literature, given by the académie Goncourt to the author of "the best and most imaginative prose work of the year"...
and Walloon movement activistWalloon MovementThe Walloon Movement is an umbrella term for all Belgian political movements that either assert the existence of a Walloon identity or defend French culture and language within Belgium. The movement began as a defence of the primacy of French but later gained political and socio-economic objectives...
Twin cities
- BriareBriareBriare is a commune in the Loiret department in north-central France.Briare, the Brivodorum of the Romans, is situated at the extremity of the Briare Canal, which unites the Loire and its lateral canal with the Loing and so with the Seine. The lateral canal of the Loire crosses the Loire near...
: ThoisseyThoisseyThoissey is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.-Geography:The Chalaronne forms the commune's southeastern border, then flows into the Saône, which forms its western border.- Historical facts :...
: VannesVannesVannes is a commune in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France. It was founded over 2000 years ago.-Geography:Vannes is located on the Gulf of Morbihan at the mouth of two rivers, the Marle and the Vincin. It is around 100 km northwest of Nantes and 450 km south west...
: Sefton: Changsha: Little Rock, ArkansasArkansasArkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
See also
- Angels of MonsAngels of MonsThe Angels of Mons is a popular legend about a group of angels who supposedly protected members of the British army in the Battle of Mons at the outset of World War I...
- Battle of MonsBattle of MonsThe Battle of Mons was the first major action of the British Expeditionary Force in the First World War. It was a subsidiary action of the Battle of the Frontiers, in which the Allies clashed with Germany on the French borders. At Mons, the British army attempted to hold the line of the...
, 1914 - BorinageBorinageThe Borinage is an area in the Walloon province of Hainaut. The provincial capital Mons is located in the east of the Borinage. In French the inhabitants are called Borains...
- Grand HornuGrand HornuGrand-Hornu is an old industrial mining complex in Hornu in the municipality of Boussu, Belgium. It was built by Henri De Gorge between 1810 and 1830. It is a unique example of functional town-planning. Today it is owned by the province of Hainaut, which houses temporary exhibitions in the...
- Initialis Science ParkInitialis Science ParkThe Initialis Science Park is a business incubator and science park located in Mons in the province of Hainaut, Wallonia . The science park is associated with the three universities of Mons; the University of Mons and the Facultés universitaires catholiques de Mons...
- Mons MegMons MegMons Meg is a medieval bombard which can be classed as a supergun, now located at Edinburgh Castle, Scotland. There are conflicting theories about its origins, but it appears from the accounts of Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy that it was made to his order around 1449 and sent as a gift 8 years...
- MundaneumMundaneumThe Mundaneum was an institution created in 1910 out of the initiative of two Belgian lawyers Paul Otlet and Henri La Fontaine as part of their documentation science...
(Paul OtletPaul OtletPaul Marie Ghislain Otlet was an author, entrepreneur, visionary, lawyer and peace activist; he is one of several people who have been considered the father of information science, a field he called "documentation". Otlet created the Universal Decimal Classification, one of the most prominent...
)
External links
- Cercle Archéologique de Mons, an exhaustive list of references on the history of the Mons region, in FrenchFrench languageFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
. - Official site of the city, in FrenchFrench languageFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
. - Official site of the Doudou, in FrenchFrench languageFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
. - Unofficial site of the Doudou (Text ; Movies ; Music..., in FrenchFrench languageFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
. - The World Heritage Flint mines in Spiennes, in FrenchFrench languageFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
(summary in English). - Conservatoire Royal de Mon, posted by Gerard Epure, in French