Béthune
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Bethune.
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Commune of Béthune |
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| Location | |
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| Administration | |
|---|---|
| Country | France |
| Region | Nord-Pas-de-Calais |
| Department | Pas-de-Calais (sous-préfecture) |
| Arrondissement | Béthune |
| Canton | Béthune-Nord and -Sud |
| Intercommunality | Communauté d'agglomération de l'Artois |
| Mayor | Jacques Mellick (2002-2008) |
| Statistics | |
| Elevation | 18 m–42 m (avg. 26 m) |
| Land area¹ | 12.97 km² |
| Population² (1999) |
27,808 |
| - Density | 2,142/km² (1999) |
| Miscellaneous | |
| INSEE/Postal code | 62119/ 62400 |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
| 2 Population sans doubles comptes: residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) only counted once. | |
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Béthune (Dutch: Betun) is a city and commune of northern France, sous-préfecture of the Pas-de-Calais département. It is the administrative center of the Communauté d'agglomération de l'Artois, which gathers 58 communes, and has a total population of approximately 200,000. In the 1999 census, Béthune had a population of 27,808. The commune has a land area of 12.97 km² (5.008 sq mi).
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[edit] History
Béthune is located in the former province of Artois.
[edit] Sights
Béthune is famous for its Belfry (tower in the central square of the city).
[edit] Miscellaneous
Béthune was the birthplace of:
- Jean Buridan, probably born in Béthune (1300-1358), philosopher who sowed the seeds of religious scepticism in Europe
- Antoine Busnois, born near Béthune (c.1430-1492), composer and poet of the early Renaissance Burgundian School
- Jérôme Leroy (1974-?), Former captain of RC Lens and current FC Sochaux midfielder in France.
- Pierre de Manchicourt (c. 1510-1564), composer of the Renaissance.
- Nicolas Fauvergue (born October 13, 1984), footballer
Béthune is also associated with the following historic personalities:
- Maximilien de Béthune, duc de Sully (1560 - 1641), French general and statesman.
- Conon de Béthune (c.1150 - 1220), crusader and "trouvère" poet
[edit] External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
- Béthune city council website (in French)
- http://www.theotherside.co.uk/tm-heritage/towns/bethune.htm
- "Histoire de Béthune" (in French)
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