It lies on theScheldt (French:Escaut) river. Although the city and region experienced a steady population decline between 1975 and 1990, it has since rebounded.
In 923, it passed to the Duchy of LowerLotharingia dependent on theHoly Roman Empire. Once theEmpire of the Franks was established, the city began to develop, though the archaeological record has still not revealed all it has to reveal about this period.[citation needed]
In 1259, Valenciennes was the site of a General Chapter of theDominican Order at whichThomas Aquinas together with masters Bonushomo Britto,[8] Florentius,[9]Albert, andPeter took part in establishing aratio studiorum or program of studies for theDominican Order[10] that featured the study of philosophy as an innovation for those not sufficiently trained to study theology. This innovation initiated the tradition of Dominican scholastic philosophy put into practice, for example, in 1265 at the Order'sstudium provinciale at the convent ofSanta Sabina in Rome, out of which would develop thePontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas,Angelicum.[11]
The French army laid siege to the city in 1656 (Vauban participated in this siege without a command[15]). Defending the city,Albert de Merode, marquis de Trélon was injured during a sortie on horseback, died as a result of his injuries and was buried in the Church of St. Paul (his tomb was found during the archaeological campaign in 1990).[citation needed]
DuringWorld War I the German army occupied the town in 1914. They were finally driven out by British forces at theBattle of Valenciennes in 1918, 'in which seven British divisions attacked eleven German divisions'. One dramatic first-hand experience of this battle is provided by A. S. Bullock who fought at a section of the front nearMaresches.[18]
The town's first antenna was set up in Lille in 1964, then the Centre universitaire was set up in 1970, becoming independent in 1979 as the University of Valenciennes and Hainaut-Cambrésis.[citation needed]
Valenciennes has anoceanic climate (Köppen climate classificationCfb). The average annual temperature in Valenciennes is 11.0 °C (51.8 °F). The average annual rainfall is 694.1 mm (27.33 in) with December as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in July, at around 18.7 °C (65.7 °F), and lowest in January, at around 3.9 °C (39.0 °F). The highest temperature ever recorded in Valenciennes was 40.9 °C (105.6 °F) on 25 July 2019; the coldest temperature ever recorded was −14.9 °C (5.2 °F) on 7 January 2009.
Climate data for Valenciennes (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1987−present)
TheHôtel de Ville (City Hall)Museum of Fine Arts of Valenciennes
TheHindenburg Line ran through Valenciennes duringWorld War I, leading to extensive destruction. Valenciennes was again almost completely destroyed duringWorld War II, and has since been rebuilt in concrete.
A few surviving monuments are: 1) The façade of theHôtel de Ville (City Hall), which managed to survive the bombardments of the war; 2) the Basilica of Notre-Dame du Saint-Cordon, to which there is an annual pilgrimage; 3) La Maison Espagnole, the remains of the Spanish occupation, which ended in 1678. The building is now used as the town's tourist information office; 4)
The Dodenne Tower
The Dodenne Tower, the remaining part of the medieval fortifications after Charles V ordered them reduced; 5) Théâtre le Phenix, a theatre and performing arts venue constructed in 1998; 6) The "Beffroi", a large, pin-like monument 45 m (148 ft) in height, built in 2007 on the site of the former belfry.[22]
La Maison Espagnole, now home to the tourist information officeThéâtre Le Phénix
Valenciennes is historically renowned for itslace. Until the 1970s, the mainindustries weresteel andtextiles. Since their decline, reconversion attempts focus mainly onautomobile production. In 2001,Toyota built its Western Europeanassembly line for theToyota Yaris inOnnaing near Valenciennes.Sevel has an assembly facility at nearbyLieu-Saint-Amand. Because of this and other changes, the average unemployment in the region is now below the national average. The nearby town ofPetite-Forêt is home to majorAlstom workshops.
On 15 July 2004, the Administrative Board of theEuropean Union'sRailway Agency held its first meeting in Phénix, with representatives of the 25 Member States andFrançois Lamoureux, those days Director General for Energy and Transportation at the European Commission. Valenciennes was picked as the European Railway Agency headquarters in December 2003. International conferences are held inLille.
Valenciennes tramway line No. 1 –Université StationGare de Valenciennes
Line No. 1 of theTramway de Valenciennes was put into service on 3 July 2006. 9.5 km (5.9 mi) long, this tramway crosses the five communes in the Valenciennois Metropolitan area, at a cost of 242.75 millionEuros.
The municipality has eight individual preschools.[23]
The municipality has eight individual primary schools and four school groups.[24]
The municipality has five junior high schools (three public and two private) and seven senior high schools/sixth form colleges (four public and three private).[25]
•Marguerite Porete (born 1258-1310), author of The Mirror of the Simple Souls. Considered heretical her book was burned in the Place d’Armes in Valenciennes in 1306.
^Histoire littéraire de la France: XIIIe siècle (in French). Chez Osmont, à l'Olivier, Huart l'aîné, a la Justice, Clousier, à l'Ecu de France, Hourdel, David le jeune, à l'Esperance, Chaubert, à la Renommée & Gissey. 1838.
^Martin Barros, Nicole Salat et Thierry Sarmant. Vauban – L’intelligence du territoire. Éditions Nicolas Chaudun et Service historique de l'armée, Paris, 2006. Préface de Jean Nouvel. 175 p,ISBN2-35039-028-4, p 166
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