Aire-sur-la-Lys
Encyclopedia
Aire-sur-la-Lys is a commune
in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France
.
, at the junction of the N43 with several departmental roads, by the banks of the Lys
and the Laquette
rivers.
in response to the Norman
invasions. More growth followed with the establishment of the Collegiate church
of Saint-Pierre by Baldwin V, Count of Flanders
.
The town was laid siege ten times between 1127 and 1710. It was separated from the County of Flanders
and attached to the County of Artois
in 1196. Subsequently ruled by the Burgundians then by the Spanish
.
The town was besieged in 1676 by Vauban and retaken for France, although it remained a Spanish possession until the 14th April 1713, when, by the Treaty of Utrecht
, it finally became a part of France.
Vauban
’s stronghold, which was a strategic position, was dismantled in 1893.
. It has all the characteristics of a cathedral, but in the absence of a bishop
, it cannot claim that title.
Witness to the splendour of the city, the collegiate church of Saint-Pierre is of Romanesque
style. Built between 1492 and the eighteenth century, one can see both on the inside and the outside of the building carving that details the 400 years progress. It has been the parish church since 1802.
The tower, completed in 1624, collapsed soon after. Ten years later, the damage was repaired. The top of the tower was again restored between May 2005 and April 2007. The ground floor, the nave, choir and high arches are essentially Gothic.
The dimensions of the building are impressive:
It was classified a historical monument in 1862.
), because at various times between 1634 and 1789, it served as the seat of the court bailiffs.
In 1595, the mayor, one Jacques de Caverel had obtained permission from Brussels
to raise taxes on beer and wine for the construction of the guardhouse on the city marketplace and the monument was inaugurated on November 22, 1600.
The building itself is an irregular quadrilateral of 125m square, with 3 facades giving out onto the Grande Place, Rue d’Arras and what was then the Rue des Cuisiniers. The architect, Pierre Framery was inspired by the former Hotel de Ville at Amsterdam
. Many restorations have been necessary over the centuries.
The Bailliage has undergone various uses: guardhouse, courthouse, Town Hall and police headquarters in the 19th and 20th centuries. Since 1970, it has been the Tourist Office. The large room upstairs is used for exhibitions.
The Bailiwick has been classified as an historic monument since 1886.
in 1713, King Louis XIV gave permission to build a new and more prestigious Town Hall, in recognition of the suffering of the city during the siege of 1710 under Dutch occupation.
Germany Lendringsen, Germany
England Sturry
, England
England Fordwich
, England
Wales Flint
, Wales
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France
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...
.
Geography
The commune is located 10 miles (16 km) southeast of Saint-OmerSaint-Omer
Saint-Omer , a commune and sub-prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department west-northwest of Lille on the railway to Calais. The town is named after Saint Audomar, who brought Christianity to the area....
, at the junction of the N43 with several departmental roads, by the banks of the Lys
Lys
Lys may refer to any of the following:Places*The Lys or Leie, a river in France and Belgium*Lys , a stream of Aosta Valley in Italy*Lys, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in France...
and the Laquette
Laquette
The Laquette is a river of northern France, right tributary of the Lys. It flows into the Lys in Aire-sur-la-Lys.-References:*http://www.geoportail.fr*...
rivers.
History
Aire-sur-la-Lys is mentioned for the first time in 857. It developed around a fort or castrum built by Baldwin II, Count of FlandersBaldwin II, Count of Flanders
Baldwin II , nicknamed Calvus was the second count of Flanders. He was also hereditary abbot of St. Bertin from 892 till his death. He was the son of Baldwin I of Flanders and Judith, a daughter of Charles the Bald...
in response to the Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
invasions. More growth followed with the establishment of the Collegiate church
Collegiate church
In Christianity, a collegiate church is a church where the daily office of worship is maintained by a college of canons; a non-monastic, or "secular" community of clergy, organised as a self-governing corporate body, which may be presided over by a dean or provost...
of Saint-Pierre by Baldwin V, Count of Flanders
Baldwin V, Count of Flanders
Baldwin V of Flanders was Count of Flanders from 1035 until his death.He was the son of Baldwin IV, Count of Flanders, who died in 1035.-History:...
.
The town was laid siege ten times between 1127 and 1710. It was separated from the County of Flanders
County of Flanders
The County of Flanders was one of the territories constituting the Low Countries. The county existed from 862 to 1795. It was one of the original secular fiefs of France and for centuries was one of the most affluent regions in Europe....
and attached to the County of Artois
County of Artois
The County of Artois was an historic province of the Kingdom of France, held by the Dukes of Burgundy from 1384 until 1477/82, and a state of the Holy Roman Empire from 1493 until 1659....
in 1196. Subsequently ruled by the Burgundians then by the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
The town was besieged in 1676 by Vauban and retaken for France, although it remained a Spanish possession until the 14th April 1713, when, by 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...
, it finally became a part of France.
Vauban
Vauban
Sébastien Le Prestre, Seigneur de Vauban and later Marquis de Vauban , commonly referred to as Vauban, was a Marshal of France and the foremost military engineer of his age, famed for his skill in both designing fortifications and breaking through them...
’s stronghold, which was a strategic position, was dismantled in 1893.
Population
Places of interest
Collegiate Church of Saint-Pierre
The church is one of the most important monuments, with its imposing style, in ArtoisArtois
Artois is a former province of northern France. Its territory has an area of around 4000 km² and a population of about one million. Its principal cities are Arras , Saint-Omer, Lens and Béthune.-Location:...
. It has all the characteristics of a cathedral, but in the absence of a bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
, it cannot claim that title.
Witness to the splendour of the city, the collegiate church of Saint-Pierre is of Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
style. Built between 1492 and the eighteenth century, one can see both on the inside and the outside of the building carving that details the 400 years progress. It has been the parish church since 1802.
The tower, completed in 1624, collapsed soon after. Ten years later, the damage was repaired. The top of the tower was again restored between May 2005 and April 2007. The ground floor, the nave, choir and high arches are essentially Gothic.
The dimensions of the building are impressive:
- Total external length: 105 metres
- Total external width: 40 metres
- Width of the central nave: 10 metres
- Height of the tower: 66 meters
It was classified a historical monument in 1862.
Le Bailliage
A Flemish Renaissance style building which was built between 1595 and 1600, as guardrooms for the militia of the city. It is commonly known as the Le Bailliage (BailiwickBailiwick
A bailiwick is usually the area of jurisdiction of a bailiff, and may also apply to a territory in which the sheriff's functions were exercised by a privately appointed bailiff under a royal or imperial writ. The word is now more generally used in a metaphorical sense, to indicate a sphere of...
), because at various times between 1634 and 1789, it served as the seat of the court bailiffs.
In 1595, the mayor, one Jacques de Caverel had obtained permission from Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
to raise taxes on beer and wine for the construction of the guardhouse on the city marketplace and the monument was inaugurated on November 22, 1600.
The building itself is an irregular quadrilateral of 125m square, with 3 facades giving out onto the Grande Place, Rue d’Arras and what was then the Rue des Cuisiniers. The architect, Pierre Framery was inspired by the former Hotel de Ville at Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
. Many restorations have been necessary over the centuries.
The Bailliage has undergone various uses: guardhouse, courthouse, Town Hall and police headquarters in the 19th and 20th centuries. Since 1970, it has been the Tourist Office. The large room upstairs is used for exhibitions.
The Bailiwick has been classified as an historic monument since 1886.
Town hall
After the return of Aire to the kingdom of France by the Treaty of UtrechtTreaty 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...
in 1713, King Louis XIV gave permission to build a new and more prestigious Town Hall, in recognition of the suffering of the city during the siege of 1710 under Dutch occupation.
Other historic buildings
- The Bell-tower, classified as World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2005. Rebuilt in 1923 at the same time as the City Hall after a fire in 1914.
- ChapelChapelA 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,...
of Saint-JacquesSaint-Jacques-Canada:* Saint-Jacques, a municipality in the province of Quebec* Saint-Jacques-de-Leeds, a municipality in the province of Quebec* Saint-Jacques-le-Majeur-de-Wolfestown, a parish in the province of Quebec...
, a former Jesuit college, built by Jean Beegrand between 1682 and 1688. - Abbey of Saint-Augustin-de-Clarques.
- The former Governor’s residence.
- The old Lys brewery – interesting facades and roofs of the brewing and malting workshop and the former stables.
- Old city gates to Arras and Saint-Omer.
- Bastion of Beaulieu Chenal the canal entrance protected by a cofferdam.
- The Taix and Listenois cavalry barracks.
- The Beaudelle chapel - Listed facade and roof.
- Church of Saint-Jacques-le-Maggiore and St. Ignatius:
- Church of Saint-Pierre:
- Church of Saint-Quentin
- Fort St. Francis (also called High Gassion), with some above-ground remains visible and underground remains of fortifications
- Hospital / Hospice of Saint-Jean.
Notable people
- Michault le Caron, 15th century poet
- René GobletRené GobletRené Goblet was a French politician, Prime Minister of France for a period in 1886–1887.He was born at Aire-sur-la-Lys, Pas-de-Calais and was trained in law. Under the Second Empire, he helped found a Liberal journal, Le Progrès de la Somme, and in July 1871 he was sent by the département of the...
(1828–1905), FrenchFranceThe 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...
politicianPoliticianA politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, and Prime Minister of FrancePrime Minister of FranceThe Prime Minister of France in the Fifth Republic is the head of government and of the Council of Ministers of France. The head of state is the President of the French Republic... - Guyart des Moulins, medieval churchman
Twin towns
Germany Lendringsen, GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
England SturrySturry
Sturry is a village on the Great Stour river three miles north-east of Canterbury in Kent. The large parish of Sturry Church incorporates the former mining village of Hersden and several hamlets.-Geography:...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
England FordwichFordwich
Fordwich is the smallest place in Britain with a town council, having a population of 351 recorded in the 2001 census. It lies in Kent, on the River Stour, northeast of Canterbury....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Wales FlintFlint
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...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...