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Bergues (Sint-Winoksbergen) | |
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.JPG) A street and the belfry of Bergues | |
 Flag _Nord-France.svg) Coat of arms | |
 Location of Bergues | |
  Bergues  Bergues | |
| Coordinates:50°58′09″N2°26′06″E / 50.9692°N 2.435°E /50.9692; 2.435 | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Hauts-de-France |
| Department | Nord |
| Arrondissement | Dunkerque |
| Canton | Coudekerque-Branche |
| Intercommunality | CC Hauts de Flandre |
| Government | |
| • Mayor(2020–2026) | Paul-Loup Tronquoy[1] |
Area 1 | 1.32 km2 (0.51 sq mi) |
| Population (2022)[2] | 3,543 |
| • Density | 2,680/km2 (6,950/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 59067 /59380 |
| Elevation | 1–22 m (3.3–72.2 ft) |
| Website | Official website |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
Bergues (French pronunciation:[bɛʁɡ]ⓘ;Dutch:Sint-Winoksbergen;West Flemish:Bergn) is acommune in theNorddepartment in northernFrance.[3]
It is situated 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) to the south ofDunkirk and 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from theBelgian border. Locally it is referred to as "the otherBruges inFlanders". Bergues is a setting for the 2008 movieWelcome to the Sticks (Original French title:Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis).
The town's name derives from the Dutchgroene berg, which means "green hill". According to legend, SaintWinnoc, son of the Breton king, retired to Groenberg, a hill on the edge of the coastal marshes. His establishment soon developed into a small monastery.
In 882, when theNormans began their incursions, the Flanders countBaudouin II built primitive fortifications. Later, in about 1022, CountBaudouin IV built Saint Winnoc Church and interred the relics of St Winnoc there. The church formed the basis of anabbey.
Trade was aided by proximity to the sea, which had not yet receded to Dunkirk, and the abbey. Bergues was chartered in 1240, and its independence was later expressed in the construction of abelfry. It became a port and textile center of regional importance, and part of theHanseatic League. Its wool market began in 1276 and over the following centuries it was fortified and maintained its independence from France. In 1583, Bergues was besieged and conquered byAlexander Farnese, but kingPhilip II of Spain allowed it to be rebuilt, establishing the present appearance of the town. Bergues became a major port city and eventually was attached to France by theTreaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1668.Louis XIV later developed Dunkirk, and Bergues was eclipsed as a major port. After theFrench Revolution, its decline continued.
Bergues was devastated by bombardment inWorld War I, and again in 1940 during theBattle of Dunkirk. The city was entered on 2 June that year, and 80% of it was ruined duringWorld War II.
Near industrialized Dunkirk, its many monuments are reminders of a rich past, and tourism has been developed in recent years.
Bergues was the setting for the 2008 French filmBienvenue chez les Ch'tis. The film, which broke French box office records, is credited with triggering a tourism boom in Bergues.[4]
Possible Roman influence
There is a possibility of Bergues being the Roman Port of 'Marcae' mentioned in theLitus Saxonicum as there appears to be research in the UK that the high sea levels were about 4.5 metres higher in late Roman times than that of today. Bergues appears to be on the Roman Road from Castellum Menapiorum(modern Cassel) a major hill fort, the road appears to stop at about Bergues, which would be on the coast at the time.[5]
Bergues is about halfway between Oudenberg and Boulogne (both Saxon Shore forts) and appears to be land if the sea level is raised 4.5 metres in which case would mean Bergues would have a well protected harbour inland from the town.[6][7]
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| Source: EHESS[8] and INSEE (1968-2017)[9] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The arms of Bergues areblazoned : Argent, a lion contourny sable langued gules impaled withArgent, a fess sable, and on a canton Or, a lion sable within a bordure gules. |
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Erndtebrück,Germany, since 1973The movieBienvenue chez les Ch'tis (byDany Boon) is set in Bergues.
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