Bourbourg
Encyclopedia
Bourbourg is a commune
in the Nord department in northern France
. It is situated in the maritime plain of northern France, at the heart of a triangle formed by Dunkirk, Calais
, and Saint-Omer
.
, Luke 12:40, "Et vos estote parati quia qua hora non putatis Filius hominis venit" (Be you then also ready: for at what hour you think not the Son of man
will come).
Other interesting old buildings include the gothic church (Eglise Saint-Jean-Baptiste), parts of which date from the thirteenth century, and the choir of which is sheltering a huge installation from Anthony Caro
called "The Chapel of Light"; the old Fishmarket (Halle au poisson) which dates from 1587 and has twice-weekly fresh fish market
s; and a 16th century fortified farmhouse, the Manoir du Withof.
as part of his border defences for Flanders. There are also footpaths and cycle routes out into the attractive flat countryside typical of the coastal area between Calais and Dunkerque.
A new boat-stop quay provides facilities for leisure boaters touring the region's canals and waterways to stop here. The 18th century canal was once important for carrying agricultural produce to Dunkerque, avoiding the hazards of the North Sea coast.
The town's market day is Tuesday morning; fish markets are on Tuesday and Friday mornings, and there is a Christmas market in the Fishmarket.
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 Nord 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...
. It is situated in the maritime plain of northern France, at the heart of a triangle formed by Dunkirk, Calais
Calais
Calais is a town in Northern France in the department of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's capital is its third-largest city of Arras....
, and Saint-Omer
Saint-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....
.
Heraldry
Historical sites
Rich in history, there are a large number of historic sites to see, such as the former jail. Originally built in 1539 under Spanish rule, the three-story 18th century prison building in the main square includes several dungeons and strongrooms. Above the entrance door is a sundial with the motto: Qua hora non putatis - this is part of a verse from the BibleBible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, Luke 12:40, "Et vos estote parati quia qua hora non putatis Filius hominis venit" (Be you then also ready: for at what hour you think not the Son of man
will come).
Other interesting old buildings include the gothic church (Eglise Saint-Jean-Baptiste), parts of which date from the thirteenth century, and the choir of which is sheltering a huge installation from Anthony Caro
Anthony Caro
Sir Anthony Alfred Caro, OM, CBE is an English abstract sculptor whose work is characterised by assemblages of metal using 'found' industrial objects.-Background and early life:...
called "The Chapel of Light"; the old Fishmarket (Halle au poisson) which dates from 1587 and has twice-weekly fresh fish market
Fish market
A fish market is a marketplace used for marketing fish products. It can be dedicated to wholesale trade between fishermen and fish merchants, or to the sale of seafood to individual consumers, or to both...
s; and a 16th century fortified farmhouse, the Manoir du Withof.
Places of interest
The town is crossed by the canal that goes from Dunkirk to the Aa. You can walk along the canal which skirts the old town walls - built by Spanish king Philip IIPhilip II of Spain
Philip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....
as part of his border defences for Flanders. There are also footpaths and cycle routes out into the attractive flat countryside typical of the coastal area between Calais and Dunkerque.
A new boat-stop quay provides facilities for leisure boaters touring the region's canals and waterways to stop here. The 18th century canal was once important for carrying agricultural produce to Dunkerque, avoiding the hazards of the North Sea coast.
The town's market day is Tuesday morning; fish markets are on Tuesday and Friday mornings, and there is a Christmas market in the Fishmarket.