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Commune of Arras
Place des Héros in Arras
Location
Image:Paris_plan_pointer_b_jms.gif
Map highlighting the commune of
Coordinates 50°17′23″N 2°46′51″E / 50.28972, 2.78083
Administration
Country France
Region Nord-Pas de Calais
Department Pas-de-Calais (préfecture)
Arrondissement Arras
Canton Chief town of 3 cantons
Intercommunality Communauté urbaine d'Arras
Mayor Jean-Marie Vanlerenberghe
(2001-2008)
Statistics
Elevation 52 m–99 m
(avg. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. Wikipedia talkFeatured lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->This list of countries, arranged alphabetically This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. France is divided into 26 regions or régions (in French of which 21 are in continental Metropolitan France, one is the island of Corsica, Nord-Pas de Calais (French Nord-Pas de Calais; Dutch Noord-Nauw van Kales) is one of the 26 regions of France. In the context of the political and geographic organization of France and many of its former colonies a department (département depaʁtǝmɑ̃ is an Administrative division Pas-de-Calais is a department in northern France. Its name is the French language equivalent of the Strait of Dover, which it borders A prefecture ( préfecture) in France can refer to: the Chef-lieu de département, the town in which the administration of a ''département'' The 100 French departments are divided into 342 arrondissements, which may be translated into English as districts. The arrondissement of Arras is an arrondissement of France located in the Pas-de-Calais département, in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais The cantons of France are territorial subdivisions of the French Republic's 341 arrondissements and 100 departments. The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning "greater" is a modern title used in many countries for the highest ranking officer in a municipal government Jean-Marie Vanlerenberghe is a French Politician, born on 29 March 1939 in Bully-les-Mines, Pas-de-Calais. Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common The elevation of a Geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point often the mean sea level. 72 m)
Land area¹ 11. 63 km²
Population²
(2007)		 46,193
 - Density 3,490/km² (2007)
Miscellaneous
INSEE/Postal code 62041/ 62000
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0. As of January 1, 2008, 64473140 people live in the French Republic. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume The INSEE code is a numerical indexing code used by the French National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE to identify various entities including communes Postal codes were introduced in France in 1972, when La Poste introduced automated sorting. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. An estuary is a semi-enclosed Coastal body of Water with one or more Rivers or Streams flowing into it and with a free connection to the open
2 Population sans doubles comptes: residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) only counted once. C D E
France

Arras (Dutch: Atrecht) is a town and commune in northern France, préfecture (capital) of the Pas-de-Calais département. Dutch ( is a West Germanic language spoken by around 24 million people 22 million of which are from the Netherlands, Belgium and Suriname The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. A prefecture ( préfecture) in France can refer to: the Chef-lieu de département, the town in which the administration of a ''département'' Pas-de-Calais is a department in northern France. Its name is the French language equivalent of the Strait of Dover, which it borders In the context of the political and geographic organization of France and many of its former colonies a department (département depaʁtǝmɑ̃ is an Administrative division The historic centre of the Artois region, its local speech is nonetheless characterized as a Picard dialect. Artois (Artesië (adjective Artesian) is a former province of northern France. Picard is a Language closely related to French, and as such is one of the larger group of Romance languages. Unlike many French words, the final "s" in the name should be pronounced. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people

The position of Arras
The position of Arras

Contents

History

Arras was founded on the hill of Baudimont by the Celtic tribe of the Atrebates, who named it Nemetacum or Nemetocenna in reference to a nemeton (sacred grove) that probably existed there. Celts (ˈkɛlts or /ˈsɛlts/, see Names of the Celts The Atrebates (singular Atrebas, meaning "settlers" were a Belgic tribe of Gaul and Britain before the Roman conquests It was later renamed Atrebatum by the Romans, under whom it became an important garrison town. Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC [1][2]

The townspeople were converted to Christianity in the late 4th century by Saint Diogenes, who was killed in 410 during a barbarian attack on the town. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Around 130 years later, St. Vedast (also known as St. Saint Vedast or Vedastus, also known as Saint Vaast or Saint Waast (in Dutch) (died c Vaast) established an episcopal see in the town and a monastic community, which developed during the Carolingian period into the immensely wealthy Benedictine Abbey of St. Vaast). The Carolingian dynasty (known variously as the Carlovingians, Carolings, or Karlings) was a Frankish noble family with its origins in the Benedictine refers to the Spirituality and Consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in St Vaast's Abbey was a Benedictine monastery situated at Arras, département of Pas-de-Calais, France. The modern town of Arras initially grew up around the abbey as a grain market. Both town and abbey suffered during the 9th century from the attacks of the Vikings, who later settled to the west in Normandy. A Viking is one of the Norse ( Scandinavian Explorers Warriors Merchants, and pirates who raided and colonized wide areas Normandy (Normandie Norman: Normaundie) is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. The abbey revived its strength in the 11th century and played an important role in the development of medieval painting, successfully synthesising the artistic styles of Carolingian, Ottonian and English art. The Ottonian dynasty was a dynasty of Germanic Kings (919-1024 named after its first emperor but also known as the Saxon dynasty after the family's origin [3]

Although the woollen industry of Arras had been established in the 4th century, it only really came into its own during the Middle Ages. The town was granted a commercial charter by the French crown in 1180 and became an internationally important location for banking and trade. By the 14th century it had gained renown and considerable wealth from the cloth and wool industry, and was particularly well known for its production of fine tapestries - so much so that in English and Italian the word "arras" (in Italian, "arrazzi") was adopted to refer to tapestries in general. Tapestry is a form of Textile art. It is woven by hand on a vertical Loom. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy. [3] The patronage of wealthy cloth merchants ensured that the town became an important cultural centre, with major figures such as the poet Jean Bodel and the troubadour Adam de la Halle making their homes in Arras. Jean Bodel, who lived in the late twelfth century was an Old French Poet who wrote a number of chansons de geste as well as many Fabliaux A troubadour ( IPA:, originally) was a composer and performer of Occitan Lyric poetry during the High Middle Ages (1100&ndash1350 Adam de la Halle, also known as Adam le Bossu ( Adam the Hunchback) (1237?-1288 was a French -born Trouvère, Poet and Musician

The ownership of the town was, however, repeatedly disputed along with the rest of Artois. During the Middle Ages, possession of Arras passed to a variety of feudal rulers and fiefs, including the County of Flanders, the Duchy of Burgundy, the Spanish branch of the House of Habsburg and the French crown. The County of Flanders was a historical region in the Low Countries. Duke of Burgundy was a title borne by the rulers of the Duchy of Burgundy, a small portion of traditional lands of Burgundians west of river Saône which The town was the site of the Congress of Arras in 1435, an unsuccessful attempt to end the Hundred Years' War that resulted in the Burgundians breaking their alliance with the English. The Congress of Arras was a diplomatic congregation established in Arras in 1435 between representatives of England, France, and Burgundy The Hundred Years' War (Guerre de Cent Ans was a prolonged conflict lasting from 1337 to 1453 between two royal houses for the French throne vacant with the extinction of the senior After the death of Duke Charles the Bold of Burgundy in 1477, King Louis XI of France took control of Arras but the town's inhabitants, still loyal to the Burgundians, expelled the French. Charles the Bold or Charles the Rash (Charles le Téméraire ( 21 November 1433 &ndash 5 January 1477) baptised Charles Martin Louis XI ( July 3, 1423 – August 30, 1483) called the Prudent (le Prudent and the Universal Spider ( Middle This prompted Louis XI to beseige Arras in person and, after taking it by assault, he had the town's walls razed and its inhabitants expelled, to be replaced by more loyal subjects from other parts of France. In a bid to erase the town's identity completely, Louis renamed it temporarily to Franchise. In 1482, the Peace of Arras was signed in the town to end a war between Louis XI and Maximilian I of Austria; ten years later, the town was ceded to Maximilian and was bequeathed to the Spanish Habsburgs as part of the Spanish Netherlands. The Southern Netherlands (Zuidelijke Nederlanden Países Bajos del Sur Pays-Bas du sud were a part of the Low Countries controlled by Spain ( Spanish [4][5]

The Union of Atrecht (the Dutch name for Arras) was signed here in January 1579 by the Catholic principalities of the Low Countries that remained loyal to king Philip II of Habsburg; it provoked the declaration of the Union of Utrecht later the same month. The People of Arras (Dutch Atrecht) was an accord signed on January 6, 1579 in Arras ( Atrecht) under which the southern states The Low Countries, the historical region of de Nederlanden, are the countries on low-lying land around the delta of the Rhine, Scheldt Philip II (Felipe II de España Filipe I ( May 21, 1527 &ndash September 13 1598) was King of Spain from 1556 until 1598 The Union of Utrecht (Unie van Utrecht is a treaty signed on January 23, 1579 in Utrecht, the Netherlands, unifying the northern Provinces

Grand Place, Arras. February, 1919
Grand Place, Arras. February, 1919

During the First World War, Arras was near the front and a long series of battles fought nearby are known as the Battle of Arras in which a series of medieval tunnels beneath the city, unknown to the Germans, became a decisive factor in the British forces holding the city. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All WikipediaHow to fix bunched-up edit links --> WikipediaHow The city, however, was heavily damaged and had to be rebuilt after the war. In the Second World War, during the invasion of France in March 1940, the town was the focus of a major British counter attack. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including In World War II, the Battle of France, also known as the Fall of France, was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries The Battle of Arras (1940 took place during the Battle of France, in the early stages of World War II. The town was occupied by the Germans and 240 suspected French Resistance members were executed in the Arras citadel. The French Resistance is the collective name used for the French Resistance movements which fought against the Nazi German

Ecclesiastical history

Main article: Diocese of Arras

Councils of Arras

In 1025 a council was held at Arras against certain Manichaean (dualistic) heretics who rejected the sacraments of the Church. Manichaeism (in Modern Persian fa-Arab آیین مانی Āyin e Māni; Chinese zh 摩尼教 was one of the major Gnostic Religions originating The Catholic Faith in the Blessed Eucharist was proclaimed with special insistence.

In 1097, two councils, presided over by Lambert of Arras, dealt with questions concerning monasteries and persons consecrated to God.

Sights

The town hall
The town hall

The centre of the town is marked by three large squares, the Grande Place, the Place des Héros, and the Petite Place. These are surrounded by buildings largely restored to their pre-war World War I conditions. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Most notable are the Gothic town hall (rebuilt in a slightly less grandiose style after the war) and the 19th-century cathedral. See also Gothic art Gothic architecture is a style of Architecture which flourished during the high and late medieval period. Arras Cathedral ( Cathédrale Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Vaast d'Arras) is the Roman Catholic cathedral of the city of Arras in France.

The original cathedral of Arras, constructed between 1030 and 1396, was one of the most beautiful Gothic structures in northern France. It was destroyed in the French Revolution. The French Revolution (1789–1799 was a period of political and social upheaval in the History of France, during which the French governmental structure previously an

Many of Arras's most notable structures, including the museum and several government buildings, occupy the site of the old Abbaye de Saint-Vaast. St Vaast's Abbey was a Benedictine monastery situated at Arras, département of Pas-de-Calais, France. The abbey's church was demolished and rebuilt in fashionable classical style in 1833, and now serves as the town's cathedral. The design was chosen by the one-time Abbot of St Vaast, the Cardinal de Rohan, and is stark in its simplicity, employing a vast number of perpendicular angles. Louis René Édouard cardinal de Rohan ( 25 September 1734 – 16 February 1803) prince de Rohan-Guemenée, was a French There is a fine collection of statuary within the church and it houses a number of religious relics.

Vimy Memorial is a memorial just north of the town honouring a major World War I battle, the Battle of Vimy Ridge, which marked the first time Canada fielded an entire army of its own. The Canadian National Vimy Memorial is a Canadian National Historic Site and one of Canada 's most important overseas war memorials. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Four Canadian divisions fought there on Easter weekend 1917. The Battle of Vimy Ridge was part of the broader Allied offensive in April known as the Battle of Arras. Vimy was the only victory the Allies would enjoy during their 1917 spring offensive. The Basilica of Notre Dame de Lorette, overlooking the nearby village of Ablain-Saint-Nazaire, likewise stands before one of France's largest World War I necropolises. Notre Dame de Lorette is the name of a ridge and basilica northwest of Arras Ablain-Saint-Nazaire is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. Part of an extensive network of tunnels dug in World War I by British Empire and Commonwealth soldiers can be visited at the Carrière Wellington museum in the suburbs. The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. The Carrière Wellington is a museum in Arras, northern France.

Transport

Arras is served by the LGV Nord high speed railway. The LGV Nord is a French 333 km-long High speed rail line that connects Paris to the Belgian border and the Channel Tunnel via Lille

Miscellaneous

In literature

Arras is a setting in several famous works of French literature:

Arras is also mentioned in the novel Generals Die in Bed by Charles Yale Harrison, Canadian soldiers are depicted looting the town during World War I. Edmond Eugène Alexis Rostand ( April 1, 1868 &ndash December 2, 1918) was a French Poet and Dramatist. Cyrano de Bergerac is a play written in 1897 by Edmond Rostand based on the life of the real Cyrano de Bergerac. For the Mauritanian Thirty Years' War see Char Bouba war. For the band see The 30 Years War. Victor-Marie Hugo ( ( February 26, 1802 – May 22, 1885) was a French Poet, Playwright, Novelist Les Misérables (pronounced /le miːzeʁabl(ə translated variously from French as The Miserable Ones, The Wretched Antoine de Saint Exupéry (ɑ̃twan də sɛ̃tɛgzypeˈʀi ( June 29, 1900 — July 31, 1944) was a French Writer and Flight to Arras ( Pilote de guerre) is a Memoir by French author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Sarah Smith (1947-) is an American author living in Brookline, Massachusetts with her husband Frederick Perry Generals Die in Bed is an Anti-war Novel by the Canadian - American writer Charles Yale Harrison. Charles Yale Harrison ( 16 June 1898 - 1954 was an American - Canadian novelist and journalist best known for his 1930 Anti-war Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All

Births

Arras was the birthplace of:

See also

References

  1. ^ "Arras". St Vaast's Abbey was a Benedictine monastery situated at Arras, département of Pas-de-Calais, France. Northern France and the Paris Region, pp. 120-122. Michelin Travel Publications, 2006. ISBN 206711928
  2. ^ "Arras. " Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. John Everett-Heath. Oxford University Press 2005.
  3. ^ a b "Arras. " Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages. Ed. André Vauchez
  4. ^ "Arras. " Merriam-Webster's Geographical Dictionary. (2007).
  5. ^ "Arras. " Encyclopædia Britannica. 2008.

External links

Dictionary

arras

-noun

  1. A tapestry or wall hanging.
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