Philippeville
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Philippeville | ||
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| Geography | ||
| Country | .svg/27px-Flag_of_Belgium_(civil).svg.png){kind=small} Belgium |
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| Region |  Wallonia |
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| Community | French Community |
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| Province |  Namur |
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| Arrondissement | Philippeville | |
| Coordinates | Coordinates: | |
| Area | 156.71 km² | |
| Population (Source: NIS) | ||
| Population – Males – Females - Density |
8,320 (January 1, 2006) 49.38% 50.63% 53 inhab./km² |
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| Economy | ||
| Unemployment rate | 18.22% (January 1, 2006) | |
| Mean annual income | 10,856 €/pers. (2003) | |
| Government | ||
| Mayor | Jacques Rousselle (PS) | |
| Governing parties | PS, IC-cdH | |
| Other information | ||
| Postal codes | 5600 | |
| Area codes | 071 | |
| Web address | www.philippeville.be | |
Philippeville is a Walloon municipality located in Belgium in the province of Namur. The Philippeville municipality includes the old communes of Fagnolle, Franchimont, Jamagne, Jamiolle, Merlemont, Neuville, Omezée, Roly, Romedenne, Samart, Sart-en-Fagne, Sautour, Surice, Villers-en-Fagne, Villers-le-Gambon, and Vodecée.
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[edit] History
[edit] The foundation of Philippeville
At the beginning of the 16th century, the Philippeville region was on the boundary between Charles V’s Burgundian Netherlands and Francis I’s France. Fighting around Philippeville did not start, however, until 1554, after Henry II had succeeded his father on the throne. This area was ideal for an attack as it was covered with forests, sparsely populated and divided among the County of Hainaut, that of Namur, by now part of Burgundy, and the Bishopric of Liège. The medieval forts in the area were taken and pillaged one after the other. The fortress of Mariembourg, close to Couvin, and the town of Givet soon fell to the French. In 1555, Charles V’s new commander, William the Silent, established a new fort in the village of Echerennes, a village known since the 800s. He garrisoned his troops there as soon as the fort was completed, barely four months after the start of construction. In 1556, Charles V named his new fortress Philippeville in honour of his son, Philip II of Spain, who would succeed him in the Netherlands – and on the city – the following year.
[edit] From 1557 until now
In 1659, the Treaty of the Pyrenees stopped the Thirty Years’ War and most frontier cities became French, until Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo and the Treaty of Paris (1815). There was then a brief Dutch interlude until the Belgian Revolution in 1830. The Philippeville defensive walls were dismantled in 1856 and have been replaced by the wide boulevards that circle the city today.
[edit] Sights
- Ten kilometers of underground passages dating from the foundation of the city can still be explored under Philippeville. Some sections are open to tourists.
[edit] Born in Philippeville
- Jérôme-Joseph de Momigny, a noted composer and musicologist of the classical/romantic period, was born here on 20 January 1762.
[edit] Twin cities
[edit] External links
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