Bruay-la-Buissière
Encyclopedia
Bruay-la-Buissière is a commune
and seat of a canton
in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France
.
An ex-coalmining town some 6 miles (9.7 km) southwest of Béthune and 30 miles (48.3 km) southwest of Lille
, at the junction of the D57 and the N47 roads.
With 4 coal mines, it was the headquarters of the mining company. The coal mines closed during the 1960s, to be replaced by light industrial work and chemical factories.
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...
and seat of a canton
Cantons of France
The cantons of France are territorial subdivisions of the French Republic's 342 arrondissements and 101 departments.Apart from their role as organizational units in certain aspects of the administration of public services and justice, the chief purpose of the cantons today is to serve as...
in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of 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
An ex-coalmining town some 6 miles (9.7 km) southwest of Béthune and 30 miles (48.3 km) southwest of Lille
Lille
Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
, at the junction of the D57 and the N47 roads.
History
The two places of Bruay-en-Artois and La Buissiere were joined as one commune in 1987.With 4 coal mines, it was the headquarters of the mining company. The coal mines closed during the 1960s, to be replaced by light industrial work and chemical factories.
Population
Places of interest
- The Hotel de VilleSeat of local governmentIn local government, a city hall, town hall or a municipal building or civic centre, is the chief administrative building of a city...
(Town Hall), 47m tall and built in 1927. The windows recount scenes from the lives of miners. - The Art DecoArt DecoArt deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
swimming pool, built in 1936 (the last remaining Art Deco pool open to the public) - The Museum of mining.
- The Church of Saint Martin, dating from the fifteenth century, was expanded and renovated in 1974.
- Ballencourt manorManor houseA manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
in La Buissière, was built in 1777. Partially renovated, it now hosts the music school. - The donjon of the castle of La Buissière, built in 1310 by Mahaut, Countess of ArtoisMahaut, Countess of ArtoisMahaut of Artois , also known as Mathilda, was the only daughter, and eldest child of Robert II, Count of Artois and Amicie de Courtenay.- Lineage :...
. - The church at La Buissière, presently closed to the public for renovation work.
- The Velodrome at La Buissière built by the Bruay Mining Co., in 1925.
- The Museum of calculation and Scripture. Traces the history of writing and calculating machines such as the Enigma German coding machine.