Mons (;
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
and nl, Bergen, ;
Walloon and pcd, Mont) is a
city
A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
and
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
of
Wallonia
Wallonia (; french: Wallonie ), or ; nl, Wallonië ; wa, Waloneye or officially the Walloon Region (french: link=no, Région wallonne),; nl, link=no, Waals gewest; wa, link=no, Redjon walone is one of the three regions of Belgium—alo ...
, and the capital of the
province of Hainaut
Hainaut (, also , , ; nl, Henegouwen ; wa, Hinnot; pcd, Hénau), historically also known as Heynowes in English, is a province of Wallonia and Belgium.
To its south lies the French department of Nord, while within Belgium it borders (clock ...
,
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
.
Mons was made into a fortified city by Count
Baldwin IV of
Hainaut in the 12th century. The population grew quickly, trade flourished, and several commercial buildings were erected near the ''Grand’Place''. In 1814, King
William I of the Netherlands
William I (Willem Frederik, Prince of Orange-Nassau; 24 August 1772 – 12 December 1843) was a Prince of Orange, the King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg.
He was the son of the last Stadtholder of the Dutch Republic, who went ...
increased the fortifications, following the fall of the
First French Empire
The First French Empire, officially the French Republic, then the French Empire (; Latin: ) after 1809, also known as Napoleonic France, was the empire ruled by Napoleon Bonaparte, who established French hegemony over much of continental E ...
. The
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was the transition to new manufacturing processes in Great Britain, continental Europe, and the United States, that occurred during the period from around 1760 to about 1820–1840. This transition included going f ...
and
coal mining made Mons a centre of heavy industry. In 1830, Belgium gained its independence and the decision was made to dismantle the fortifications, allowing the creation of large boulevards and other urban projects.
On 2324 August 1914, Mons was the location of the
Battle of Mons. The British were forced to
retreat and the town remained occupied by the Germans until its liberation by the
Canadian Corps during the final days of the war. There are several memorial placards related to the WW1 battles. Today, the city is an important university town and commercial centre. The main square is the centre of the old city. It is paved in the manner of old cities and is home to many cafes and restaurants, as well as the town hall and
belfry. It is forbidden to park in or drive through the centre. Together with the Czech city of
Plzeň, Mons was the
European Capital of Culture in 2015.
Districts
The municipality consists of the following districts:
Ciply,
Cuesmes,
Flénu
Flénu ( wa, Flinnu) is a village of Wallonia and a district of the municipality of Mons, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwe ...
,
Ghlin,
Harmignies
Harmignies ( wa, Armégnî) is a village of Wallonia and a district of the municipality of Mons, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country ...
,
Harveng,
Havré,
Hyon
Hyon ( wa, Avrè) is a village of Wallonia and a district of the municipality of Mons, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium.
It was a municipality until the fusion of the Belgian municipalities in 1977.
Gallery
Image:0 Hyon vu du Mont ...
,
Jemappes,
Maisières
Maisières ( wa, Maîsiéres) is a town of Wallonia and a district of the municipality of Mons, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country ...
,
Mesvin,
Nimy,
Nouvelles,
Obourg,
Saint-Denis,
Saint-Symphorien,
Spiennes
Spiennes ( wa, Spiene) is a town of Wallonia and a district of the municipality of Mons, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium.
It was a municipality until the fusion of the Belgian municipalities in 1977.
Heritage
The locality is well ...
, and
Villers-Saint-Ghislain.
History
Early settlements in the Middle Ages
![Mons JPG01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/40/Mons_JPG01.jpg)
The first signs of activity in the region of Mons are found at
Spiennes
Spiennes ( wa, Spiene) is a town of Wallonia and a district of the municipality of Mons, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium.
It was a municipality until the fusion of the Belgian municipalities in 1977.
Heritage
The locality is well ...
, where some of the best
flint
Flint, occasionally flintstone, is a sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as the variety of chert that occurs in chalk or marly limestone. Flint was widely used historically to make stone tools and sta ...
tools in
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...
were found dating from the
Neolithic
The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several p ...
period. When
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, ...
arrived in the region in the 1st century BC, the region was settled by the
Nervii
The Nervii were one of the most powerful Belgic tribes of northern Gaul at the time of its conquest by Rome. Their territory corresponds to the central part of modern Belgium, including Brussels, and stretched southwards into French Hainault. ...
, a Belgian tribe. A
castrum
In the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire
The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Roman Republic, Republican period of ancient Rome. As a po ...
was built in
Roman (Belgica) times, giving the settlement its
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
name Castrilocus; the name was later changed into Montes for the mountain on which the castrum was built. In the 7th century,
Saint Ghislain
Saint Ghislain (died 9 October 680) was a confessor and anchorite in Belgium. He died at the town named after him, Saint-Ghislain.
Life
He was probably of Germanic peoples, Germanic origin. Ghislain lived in the province of County of Hainaut, H ...
and two of his disciples built an
oratory or
chapel
A chapel is a Christian place of prayer and worship that is usually relatively small. The term has several meanings. Firstly, smaller spaces inside a church that have their own altar are often called chapels; the Lady chapel is a common ty ...
dedicated to Saints
Peter
Peter may refer to:
People
* List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* Peter (given name)
** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church
* Peter (surname), a sur ...
and
Paul
Paul may refer to:
*Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name)
* Paul (surname), a list of people
People
Christianity
*Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chri ...
near the Mons hill, at a place called Ursidongus, now known as
Saint-Ghislain
Saint-Ghislain (; pcd, Saint-Guilagne; wa, Sint-Guilin) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium.
On 1 January 2018 the municipality had 23,335 inhabitants. The total area is , giving a population dens ...
. Soon after,
Saint Waltrude
Saint Waltrude (french: Waudru; nl, Waldetrudis; german: Waltraud; la, Valdetrudis, Valtrudis, Waltrudis; died April 9, 688 AD) is the patron saint of Mons, Belgium, where she is known in French as Sainte Waudru, and of Herentals, Belgium, wher ...
(in
French ''Sainte Waudru''), daughter of one of
Clotaire II
Chlothar II, sometime called "the Young" (French: le Jeune), (May/June 584 – 18 October 629), was king of Neustria and king of the Franks, and the son of Chilperic I and his third wife, Fredegund. He started his reign as an infant under the r ...
’s intendants, came to the oratory and was proclaimed a saint upon her death in 688. She was
canonized
Canonization is the declaration of a deceased person as an officially recognized saint, specifically, the official act of a Christian communion declaring a person worthy of public veneration and entering their name in the canon catalogue of s ...
in 1039.
Like
Ath
Ath (; nl, Aat, ; pcd, Ât; wa, Ate) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium.
The municipality consists of the following districts: Arbre, Ath, Bouvignies, Ghislenghien, Gibecq, Houtaing, ...
, its neighbour to the north-west, Mons was made a fortified city by Count
Baldwin IV 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
Valenciennes (, also , , ; nl, label=also Dutch, Valencijn; pcd, Valincyinnes or ; la, Valentianae) is a commune in the Nord department, Hauts-de-France, France.
It lies on the Scheldt () river. Although the city and region experienced a ...
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 (d. Leuven, 3 December 1483) was a Brabantine architect from the 15th century.
He was employed in Leuven from 1433, first under the architect Sulpitius van Vorst (d. 1439), and afterwards under Jan Keldermans II, whom he succ ...
took over the construction of the Saint Waltrude church from Jan Spijkens and restored the town hall.
From 1500 to 1800
![Stadsplan Mons uit de zestiende eeuw](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fe/Stadsplan_Mons_uit_de_zestiende_eeuw.jpg)
In 1515,
Charles V Charles V may refer to:
* Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1500–1558)
* Charles V of Naples (1661–1700), better known as Charles II of Spain
* Charles V of France (1338–1380), called the Wise
* Charles V, Duke of Lorraine (1643–1690)
* Infa ...
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 is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...
takeover by
Louis of Nassau
Louis of Nassau (Dutch: Lodewijk van Nassau, January 10, 1538 – April 14, 1574) was the third son of William I, Count of Nassau-Siegen and Juliana of Stolberg, and the younger brother of Prince William of Orange Nassau.
Louis was a key ...
, 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
Duke of Alba de Tormes ( es, Duque de Alba de Tormes), commonly known as Duke of Alba, is a title of Spanish nobility that is accompanied by the dignity of Grandee of Spain. In 1472, the title of ''Count of Alba de Tormes'', inherited by ...
took control of Mons in September 1572 in the name of the
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
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
The Southern Netherlands, also called the Catholic Netherlands, were the parts of the Low Countries belonging to the Holy Roman Empire which were at first largely controlled by Habsburg Spain (Spanish Netherlands, 1556–1714) and later by the A ...
.
On 8 April 1691, after a nine-month siege,
Louis XIV
, house = Bourbon
, father = Louis XIII
, mother = Anne of Austria
, birth_date =
, birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France
, death_date =
, death_place = Palace of Ver ...
’s army stormed the city, which again suffered heavy casualties. From 1697 to 1701, Mons was alternately French or
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
n. After being under French control from 1701 to 1709, the
Dutch
Dutch commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
* Dutch people ()
* Dutch language ()
Dutch may also refer to:
Places
* Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States
* Pennsylvania Dutch Country
People E ...
army gained the upper hand in the
Battle of Malplaquet
The Battle of Malplaquet took place on 11 September 1709 during the War of the Spanish Succession and was fought between a French army commanded by the Duke of Villars and a Grand Alliance force under the Duke of Marlborough. In one of the blo ...
. In 1715, Mons returned to Austria under the terms of the
Treaty of Utrecht
The Peace of Utrecht was a series of peace treaties signed by the belligerents in the War of the Spanish Succession, in the Dutch city of Utrecht between April 1713 and February 1715. The war involved three contenders for the vacant throne ...
(1713). But the French did not give up easily;
Louis XV
Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (french: le Bien-Aimé), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached ...
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.
From 1800 to the present
![Bardouxha Mont 1893-mw-c](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/Bardouxha_Mont_1893-mw-c.jpg)
Following the fall of the
First French Empire
The First French Empire, officially the French Republic, then the French Empire (; Latin: ) after 1809, also known as Napoleonic France, was the empire ruled by Napoleon Bonaparte, who established French hegemony over much of continental E ...
in 1814, King
William I of the Netherlands
William I (Willem Frederik, Prince of Orange-Nassau; 24 August 1772 – 12 December 1843) was a Prince of Orange, the King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg.
He was the son of the last Stadtholder of the Dutch Republic, who went ...
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
The Industrial Revolution was the transition to new manufacturing processes in Great Britain, continental Europe, and the United States, that occurred during the period from around 1760 to about 1820–1840. This transition included going f ...
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
Wallonia (; french: Wallonie ), or ; nl, Wallonië ; wa, Waloneye or officially the Walloon Region (french: link=no, Région wallonne),; nl, link=no, Waals gewest; wa, link=no, Redjon walone is one of the three regions of Belgium—alo ...
.
Riots of Mons
On 17 April 1893, between Mons and
Jemappes, 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.
Battle of Mons
![Canadians Entering Mons](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d4/Canadians_Entering_Mons.jpg)
On 2324 August 1914, Mons was the location of the
Battle of Mons—the first battle fought by the
British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
in
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. The British were forced to
retreat with just over 1,600 casualties, and the town remained occupied by the Germans until its liberation by the
Canadian Corps during the final days of the war.
Within the front entrance to the City hall, there are several memorial placards related to the WW1 battles and in particular, one has the inscription:
Second World War
During the Second World War, as an important industrial centre, the city was heavily bombed. During the
Battle of the Mons Pocket US Army forces encircled and took 25,000 Germans prisoner in early September 1944.
After 1945
After the war, most industries went into decline.
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
's
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) is the military headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) Allied Command Operations (ACO) that commands all NATO operations worldwide. ACO's and SHAPE's commander is t ...
(SHAPE) was relocated in
Casteau Casteau ( wa, Castea) is a village of Wallonia and a district of the municipality of Soignies, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium.
With the other villages Chaussée-Notre-Dame-Louvignies, Horrues, Naast, Neufvilles, Soignies (town), ...
, a village near Mons, from Roquencourt on the outskirts of Paris 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.
Festivities
* The
Ducasse de Mons
The Ducasse de Mons, also commonly known as Doudou, is a popular festival that happens every year on Trinity Sunday (57 days after Easter) in the town of Mons in Belgium.
The feast comprises two important parts: the procession, including the ...
or ''Doudou'' is the name of a week-long series of festivities, which originates from the 14th century and takes place every year on
Trinity Sunday
Trinity Sunday is the first Sunday after Pentecost in the Western Christian liturgical calendar, and the Sunday of Pentecost in Eastern Christianity. Trinity Sunday celebrates the Christian doctrine of the Trinity, the three Persons of God: th ...
. Highlights include:
** The entrusting of the
reliquary of
Saint Waltrude
Saint Waltrude (french: Waudru; nl, Waldetrudis; german: Waltraud; la, Valdetrudis, Valtrudis, Waltrudis; died April 9, 688 AD) is the patron saint of Mons, Belgium, where she is known in French as Sainte Waudru, and of Herentals, Belgium, wher ...
to the mayor of the city on the eve of the procession.
** The placement of the reliquary on the ''Car d'Or'' ("Golden
Chariot"), before it is carried in the city streets in a colourful
procession
A procession is an organized body of people walking in a formal or ceremonial manner.
History
Processions have in all peoples and at all times been a natural form of public celebration, as forming an orderly and impressive ceremony. Religious ...
that counts more than a thousand costumed participants.
** The lifting of the ''Car d'Or'' on a paved area near the Collegiate Church of St. Waudru; tradition holds that this operation must be successful for the city to prosper.
** The ''Lumeçon'' fight, where
Saint George
Saint George (Greek: Γεώργιος (Geórgios), Latin: Georgius, Arabic: القديس جرجس; died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was a Christian who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to tradition he was a soldie ...
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 Humanity.
Tanks in town commemorates the liberation of Belgium during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
by the American
3rd Armored Division, and is one of the world's largest gatherings of WWII tanks.
Education
There are several public educational facilities in Mons:
* , ''CRM''
*
UCLouvain FUCaM Mons, a campus of the
University of Louvain located in Mons since 1899.
*
University of Mons
The University of Mons (french: Université de Mons) is a Belgian university located in the city of Mons, founded in 2009 by merging the Engineering Faculty of Mons (FPMs) and the University of Mons-Hainaut. The merging of the institutions w ...
, UMons, founded in 2009 by a merger between the
Faculté polytechnique de Mons and the
University of Mons-Hainaut.
*
Institut Reine Astrid Mons
*
Collège Saint-Stanislas, founded in 1851.
Transportation
Mons is located along the
N56 road. It is also accessed via
European route E42
The European route E42 is a road in Europe and a part of the United Nations International E-road network. It connects Dunkerque, a major ferry and container port at the northern end of the French coast with Aschaffenburg on the north western ...
, which is a continuation of French
Autoroute A2, linking the British WW1 battlefields of Mons with the Somme Battlefields,
Mons railway station opened on 19 December 1841.
A small, general aviation airfield
Saint-Ghislain Airport is located nearby for private aircraft.
Climate
Mons has a typical Belgian
oceanic climate with relatively narrow temperature differences between seasons for its inland 50° latitude, as a result of
Gulf Stream influence.
Sports
The town hosts a professional basketball team called
Belfius Mons-Hainaut
Belfius Mons-Hainaut is a Belgian professional basketball club that is based in Mons, Wallonia. The club competes in the highest division of the country, the BNXT League. The club's home arena is the Mons Arena. Founded as Quaregnon in 1959, the ...
and a tennis tournament called the
Ethias Trophy
The Ethias Trophy is a professional tennis tournament played on Tennis court#Indoor courts, indoor hard courts. It is currently part of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) ATP Challenger Tour, Challenger Tour. It has been held annually i ...
. It previously hosted the
football club R.A.E.C. Mons, though the team has since disbanded. There is also a
horse racing venue at
Hippodrome de Wallonie Hippodrome de Wallonie is a horse racing venue located in Mons, Wallonia, Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Nethe ...
in Mons.
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 façades 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 apartments (17% in Belgium) and 82.7% in single-family homes (82.3% in Belgium). Of the 82.7% who live in 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 fewer single family homes, but many more apartments whereas the smallest towns have few apartments and a lot of single family homes. 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.
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 used as an action theatre called ''
Lumeçon'' to stage a battle between
Saint George
Saint George (Greek: Γεώργιος (Geórgios), Latin: Georgius, Arabic: القديس جرجس; died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was a Christian who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to tradition he was a soldie ...
and
Dragon.
The main square is also equipped with a fountain, which opened on 21 March 2006. It also hosts a Christmas market and sometimes an ice rink during the holiday period.
The façade of the building called "au Blan Levrie" shows the care with which the city attempted to 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 originally built in 1530 in the Gothic style, for the Malaperts, a wealthy local family. In 1975, the architects A. Godart and O. Dupire were assigned to design a bank. They proceeded to gut the interior and conduct a precise survey of the whole before beginning the restoration project. The façade was completely restored, sometimes (as below) by extending the design of mouldings, but the fenestration proved impossible to restore as there were not enough clues from the remains of the original to do so. Therefore, "The choice was directed towards a contemporary discrete
tyle
Tyle may refer to:
People
* Chris Tyle (born 1955), American musician
Places
* Tyle Mill, England
* Tyle or Tylis
Other
* 21970 Tyle, minor planet
See also
* Tile
Tiles are usually thin, square or rectangular coverings manufactured fr ...
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.
File:Mons JPG06.jpg, The main square.
File:070204 (65) Mons.JPG, The house called Blan Levrie.
File:Mons 050424 (12).JPG, The former St. George's Chapel.
File:070204 (75) Mons.JPG, The house called ''de la Toison d’Or''.
File:070204 (23) Mons.JPG, The old hotel in the circle.
File:Mons 050424 JPG103.jpg, View of the beginning of the street Nimy and the Church of St. Elizabeth
File:Mons JPG0104.jpg, The gardens of the old castle and the romanesque St.Calixte chapel.
File:0 Mons - Rue de la Tour Auberon (1).JPG, Rue de la Tour Auberon - faience
Faience or faïence (; ) is the general English language term for fine tin-glazed pottery. The invention of a white pottery glaze suitable for painted decoration, by the addition of an oxide of tin to the slip of a lead glaze, was a major a ...
street sign
City Hall
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 13th century, the counts mentioned the House of Peace, located in Nimy Street. Other documents of the same time let one 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 of stones and bricks at the base, while the superstructure is of wood. This building underwent various changes during the 15th century until 1477, when the nearby shop in the arsenal exploded.
Current City Hall
The destroyed buildings were rebuilt and benefitted from new changes and additions over the centuries.
The architect of the City Hall, Matthew Layens of Leuven, was called to draw up plans. It was to be a building in Gothic style, but it seems that the plan (which was not found) was not completed, including the abandonment of the second floor, which was still intended for construction. The Renaissance campanile was added in the 18th century. It contains a bell dating from 1390, the Bancloque, and carries a clock dial overlooking the Grand Place and a light clock. The 19th century saw various modifications of the façade, the removal of stone mullions to the floor and various stone ornaments.
In its current state, the Town Hall consists of 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 from castle Trazegnies, carved doors of the 16th century saved from demolition, a fireplace from the castle of Gouy-lez-Pedestrian, and another fireplace in 1603 from the
Château d'Havré.
On 23 April 2006 was inaugurated a bronze statuary group by Garouste Gerard, creator 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 stair-ramps providing access to one of the entrances to City Hall.
Mayor's Garden
![0 Mons - Jardin du Mayeur (1)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/0_Mons_-_Jardin_du_Mayeur_%281%29.JPG)
These buildings surround a small, irregularly shaped square, the Mayor's Garden, from which the rue d'Enghien descends. The Ropieur Fountain, by sculptor Léon Gobert (1869–1935), can be found in the middle of the square. The symbolizes a young insolent resident of Mons, drenching passersby with water from the fountain.
Saint Waltrude Collegiate Church
Although located in the heart of the old County of Hainaut, the
Saint Waltrude Collegiate Church
Saint Waltrude Collegiate Church is a Catholic parish church in Belgium, named in honour of Saint Waltrude of Mons. The church is a notable example of Gothic architecture, and is protected by the heritage register of Wallonia.
History
The histo ...
is one of the most characteristic churches and most homogeneous of
Brabantine Gothic architecture
Brabantine Gothic, occasionally called Brabantian Gothic, is a significant variant of Gothic architecture that is typical for the Low Countries. It surfaced in the first half of the 14th century at St. Rumbold's Cathedral in the City of Mechele ...
.
[ With sub links:
the church]
édifices antérieurs
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the tower
,
Retrieved 15 July 2011
Continued with:
The collegiate was built in the 15th 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 Broeucq
Jacques du Broeucq (c.1505 – c.1584) was a sculptor and architect from Southern Netherlands, who is believed to have spent c. 1530-35 in Italy.
Jacques du Broeucq was born and died in Mons and is perhaps best known as the teacher of Giambologna ...
.
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
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar, including the choir and the sanctuary (sometimes called the presbytery), at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building. It may terminate in an apse.
Ov ...
is surrounded by an
ambulatory
The ambulatory ( la, ambulatorium, ‘walking place’) is the covered passage around a cloister or the processional way around the east end of a cathedral or large church and behind the high altar. The first ambulatory was in France in the 11th ...
and 15 chapels.
File:Mons JPG01.jpg, Saint-Waudru Collegiate Church
File:Jacques Du Brœucq - Saint Barthélémy.JPG, Statue of Saint-Bartholemy in the choir
A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which sp ...
of the Sainte-Waudru Collegiate Church (sculpture by Jacques Du Brœucq)
File:0 Sainte Waudru - Mons 1.JPG, Bas-relief on the western wall in the Sainte-Waudru Collegiate Church
File:0 Car d'Or - Mons 2.jpg, The ''Car d'Or'' (Golden Carriage) shown in the collegiate church
Belfry
![Beffroi de Mons](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/38/Beffroi_de_Mons.jpg)
Also called El Catiau by Montois, it was built in the 17th century.
The belfry
The Belfry is a golf resort and hotel in Wishaw, Warwickshire, close to Sutton Coldfield, England, located approximately 8 miles from the centre of Birmingham. It was acquired by KSL Capital Partners in August 2012.
The resort has three golf ...
is the only baroque style building in Belgium that reaches a height of 87 meters. In its top section it contains a 49 bell carillon. It was classified as a
UNESCO World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...
on 1 December 1999, as part of the
Belfries of Belgium and France
The Belfries of Belgium and France are a group of 56 historical buildings designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, in recognition of the civic (rather than church) belfries serving as an architectural manifestation of emerging civic indep ...
site.
Victor Hugo
Victor-Marie Hugo (; 26 February 1802 – 22 May 1885) was a French Romantic writer and politician. During a literary career that spanned more than sixty years, he wrote in a variety of genres and forms. He is considered to be one of the great ...
described the belfry in a letter to his wife as "a coffeepot flanked by 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 was economical and used after the fire in 1548, because when it was rebuilt, the cost of stone had increased. In 1548 the deputy mayor had prohibited the use of flammable materials.
The buildings were restored in 19191920, on the plans of the communal architect E. Bertiaux and are occupied by the Maison de la Presse.
Water machine
![0 Mons - Parcelles entourant la machine à eau (1)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/0_Mons_-_Parcelles_entourant_la_machine_%C3%A0_eau_%281%29.JPG)
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. To source the water, Mons purchased two springs known as the "Mouse Hole" and "La Vallière," and the water was transported via hydraulic motor.
The "water machine" still bears witness to the sanitary and hygiene concerns which arose in Mons in 1865-1870 and marks the transition from medieval water supply wells, springs and hand pumps, to operation of pumps suction and force.
This progress at domestic level transformed the townspeople's way of life and changed the boundaries of Mons and Spiennes. They used to get water from wells or fountains, sometimes over a hundred yards from their homes. Soon followed 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 1990s, and the building now hosts various cultural events. The machinery was dismantled.
Waux Hall
![Mons - Waux Hall](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/Mons_-_Waux_Hall.JPG)
Waux Hall park was built in the 19th 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.
![Mons AR1bJPG](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/Mons_AR1bJPG.jpg)
The Turkish hazel is one of the remarkable trees in the park.
A 5 hectare landscaped park was built in the 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.
Perfect Union
![Loge-parfaite-union-mons](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/78/Loge-parfaite-union-mons.jpg)
The masonic Lodge "The Perfect Union" is the oldest in Belgium and perhaps even on the continent. It was founded in 1721. At that time, Mons became a masonic centre 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 French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in coup of 18 Brumaire, November 1799. Many of its ...
, the meetings were held in different locations, and an event was organised 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 motifs—"Egyptian" papyrus capitals, frieze lotus bud, etc..
Art Square
![Mons CA1BJPG](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/81/Mons_CA1BJPG.JPG)
William Barracks, renamed barracks Major Sabbe after the First World War and named for the 1990 Arts Square, dates from 1824 to 1827, at the time of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is the work of the architect Rémi de Puydt (1789–1844). The façade 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 from the 1960s to the 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).
Red Well
![Fontaine-Rouge-Puits-Mons](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/18/Fontaine-Rouge-Puits-Mons.jpg)
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.
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 the water supply in the city during the years 18691870. 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 in the park at the far end of rue des 4 Fils Aymond.
Casemates
![Casemates-Mons](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/60/Casemates-Mons.jpg)
The casemates and the bakery are the remains of military fortifications dating from the kingdom of the
Netherlands
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, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
(1814–1830). The law dividing the disassembly of the fortifications 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 playground for children, while the casemates accommodate the musée de la Route.
Valenciennois tower
![Tour Valenciennoise (DSCF8038)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/Tour_Valenciennoise_%28DSCF8038%29.jpg)
This is the last existing trace of the medieval walls surrounding the city. This defensive structure built of sandstone from 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 had just been completed in 2009. The tower has housed 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 Building Authority designated as architects for the project 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, has created spaces for encounter and relaxation. 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, by January 2011 all buildings already had developed many problems of water seepage and stability. Thus one of the gateways weighing a hundred kilos came off its hinges and nearly fell on a lawyer who entered, cracks opened between concrete blocks, the joints of windows let in wind and water when it rains in the concourse, etc. The lack of any maintenance contracts might be a significant cause of these problems, since minor problems might otherwise have been prevented from getting worse.
Patron saint
The
patron saint
A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, or Eastern Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or perso ...
of Mons is
Waltrude
Saint Waltrude (french: Waudru; nl, Waldetrudis; german: Waltraud; la, Valdetrudis, Valtrudis, Waltrudis; died April 9, 688 AD) is the patron saint of Mons, Belgium, where she is known in French as Sainte Waudru, and of Herentals, Belgium, whe ...
.
Waltrude at saints.sqpn.com.
Retrieved 26.March 2013.
People born in Mons
* Gilles Binchois
Gilles de Bins dit Binchois (also Binchoys; – 20 September 1460) was a Franco-Flemish composer of early Renaissance music. A central figure of the Burgundian School, Binchois and his colleague Guillaume Du Fay were deeply influenced by the ...
, composer (15th century, birth in Mons is uncertain)
* Guido de Bres
Guido de Bres (also known as Guido de Bray,L.A. van Langeraad, ''Guido de Bray Zijn Leven en Werken'', Zierikzee: S.Ochtman en Zoon 1884 p.9, 13 Guy de Bray and Guido de Brès, 1522 – 31 May 1567) was a Walloon pastor, Protestant reformer and ...
, theologian (1522 to 31 May 1567)
* Jacques du Broeucq
Jacques du Broeucq (c.1505 – c.1584) was a sculptor and architect from Southern Netherlands, who is believed to have spent c. 1530-35 in Italy.
Jacques du Broeucq was born and died in Mons and is perhaps best known as the teacher of Giambologna ...
, painter and architect (16th century, birth in Mons is uncertain)
* François-Joseph Fétis
François-Joseph Fétis (; 25 March 1784 – 26 March 1871) was a Belgian musicologist, composer, teacher, and one of the most influential music critics of the 19th century. His enormous compilation of biographical data in the ''Biographie univer ...
, musicologist, composer, critic, and teacher (18th century)
* Giuseppe Grisoni
Giuseppe Pierre Joseph Grisoni (''bapt.'' 24 October 1699–1769), also known as Grifoni or Grison, was an Italian painter and sculptor, noted for his landscapes and historical tableaux.
Biography
Born in Mons, he studied in Florence under ...
, painter and sculptor (17th century)
* François-Philippe de Haussy, first governor of the National Bank of Belgium
The National Bank of Belgium (NBB; nl, Nationale Bank van België, french: Banque nationale de Belgique, german: Belgische Nationalbank) has been the central bank of Belgium since 1850. The National Bank of Belgium was established with 100% pr ...
(18th century)
* Orlande de Lassus
Orlande de Lassus ( various other names; probably – 14 June 1594) was a composer of the late Renaissance. The chief representative of the mature polyphonic style in the Franco-Flemish school, Lassus stands with Giovanni Pierluigi da Pale ...
, composer (16th century)
* Eugène Lafont, S.J., Jesuit missionary to India, educator and leading figure in the field of science in that nation
* Émile Motte, painter (19th century)
* Davide Moscardelli
Davide Moscardelli (born 3 February 1980) is an Italian former professional footballer who played as a striker. A dynamic forward, Moscardelli possesses good technical ability and strength. He is famous for his acrobatic goals, as well as his ic ...
, Italian Footballer
* Nicolas Neufchatel
Nicolas Neufchatel or Neufchâtel (c. 1527 – c. 1590), 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
The earliest likely reference to ...
, painter (16th century)
* Charles Plisnier
Charles Plisnier (13 December 1896, Ghlin – 17 July 1952, Brussels) was a Belgian writer from Wallonia.
Biography
He was a Communist in his youth and briefly belonged to the Trotskyist movement in the late 1920s. He disavowed communism, ...
, Walloon writer, Prix Goncourt
The Prix Goncourt (french: Le prix Goncourt, , ''The Goncourt Prize'') 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". The prize carries a symbolic reward o ...
and Walloon movement activist
* Jan Provoost
Jan Provoost, or Jean Provost, or Jan Provost (1462/65 – January 1529) was a Belgian painter born in Mons.
Provost was a prolific master who left his early workshop in Valenciennes to run two workshops, one in Bruges, where he was made a burgh ...
, painter (15th-16th century)
* Paul Émile de Puydt
Paul Émile de Puydt (6 March 1810 – 20 May 1891), a writer whose contributions included work in botany and economics, was born and died in Mons, Belgium. His father was Jean Ambroise de Puydt (1758–1836), who was governor of the province Hai ...
, botanist, economist, and writer (19th century)
* Vincent Rousseau
Vincent Rousseau (born 29 July 1962 in Mons, Hainaut) is a former long-distance runner from Belgium, who competed in three consecutive Summer Olympics for his native country, starting in 1984. In 1993, he had his biggest success by winning the ...
, long-distance athlete
* Jean Yeuwain, writer (16th - 17th century)
Twin cities
* : Changsha
Changsha (; ; ; Changshanese pronunciation: (), Standard Chinese, Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is the Capital city, capital and the largest city of Hunan Province of China. Changsha is the 17th most populous city in China with a popul ...
* : Briare
* : Thoissey
* : Vannes
Vannes (; br, Gwened) is a commune in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France. It was founded over 2,000 years ago.
History Celtic Era
The name ''Vannes'' comes from the Veneti, a seafaring Celtic people who live ...
* : Sefton
* : Little Rock
( The "Little Rock")
, government_type = Council-manager
, leader_title = Mayor
, leader_name = Frank Scott Jr.
, leader_party = D
, leader_title2 = Council
, leader_name2 ...
, Arkansas
Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the O ...
See also
* Angels of Mons
In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God.
Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles include ...
* Borinage
* Grand Hornu
Grand-Hornu is an old industrial coal mining complex and company town (''cité ouvrière'') in Hornu (Boussu), near Mons, in Belgium. It was built by Henri De Gorge between 1810 and 1830. It is a unique example of functional town-planning. Tod ...
* Initialis Science Park
* Mons Meg
Mons Meg is a medieval bombard in the collection of the Royal Armouries, on loan to Historic Scotland and located at Edinburgh Castle in Scotland. It has a barrel diameter of making it one of the largest cannons in the world by calibre.
...
* Mundaneum
The Mundaneum was an institution which aimed to gather together all the world's knowledge and classify it according to a system called the Universal Decimal Classification. It was developed at the turn of the 20th century by Belgian lawyers Paul ...
(Paul Otlet
Paul Marie Ghislain Otlet (; ; 23 August 1868 – 10 December 1944) was a Belgian author, entrepreneur, lawyer and peace activist; predicting the arrival of the internet before World War II, he is among those considered to be the father of infor ...
)
References
Further reading
*
External links
Cercle Archéologique de Mons
an exhaustive list of references on the history of the Mons region, in French.
Official site of the city
in French.
Official site of the Doudou
in French.
Unofficial site of the Doudou (Text; Movies; Music...)
in French.
The World Heritage Flint mines in Spiennes
in French (summary in English).
Conservatoire Royal de Mon, posted by Gerard Epure
in French
{{Authority control
Sub-municipalities of Mons
Cities in Wallonia
Municipalities of Hainaut (province)
Provincial capitals of Wallonia
Wallonia's Major Heritage
World Heritage Sites in Belgium