Saint-Gobain (Aisne)
Saint- Gobain is a commune with 2325 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2011) in Picardy in northern France.
- 4.1 building
- 4.2 Nature of interest
- 5.1 Tourism
- 5.2 traffic
Geography
Saint- Gobain is located 20 kilometers west-northwest of Laon and 30 kilometers south of Saint- Quentin in the forest of Saint- Gobain ( domaniale forêt de Saint -Gobain ).
History
The name of the village goes back to an Irish monk named Goban, who was traveling in the area in the 7th century to evangelize them. According to legend, rested Goban, on the run from pagan persecutors, in the woods, and fell asleep. When he awoke, he found that, bubbled a spring of excellent water at the spot where he had stuck his stick into the ground. He decided to settle in this place, now called Mont de l' Ermitage ( Hermitage Hill ). According to tradition he produced a series of miraculous healings in the area until his opponent finally captured him and beheaded on 20 June 670. The body of his execution was in the ensuing period, a place of pilgrimage, around which the village of Saint- Gobain developed.
In the 13th century, the village became the property of the noble lords of Coucy ( sires de Coucy ). One of them, Enguerrand III. , Built a number of castles in the immediate area, including from 1226 to 1242, the castle of Saint- Gobain, a large castle with five towers with approximately square plan with a side length of approximately 100 m. This castle was in 1475 by order of King Louis XI. looped.
For two centuries, the walls were given over to decay until they presented in 1692 Louis XIV of Compagnie des Grandes Glaces as a production facility available. This makes the village joined the European industrial history: in 1830, the company took the name of the place and became the Compagnie de Saint- Gobain, the predecessor of today's World Group. Previously, in the 18th century, the village became a center of European glass production, thanks to new production processes, through which the previously dominant Venetian glass factory could be pushed back. 1856 a railway line was laid over the raw materials to and finished glass products were transported. 1892, the production was extended to bricks and floor tiles.
After heavy damage and production downtime in both world wars, the factory was rebuilt respectively and continued to glass production. In 1982 the glass for the pyramid outside the Louvre made in glass furnace of Saint- Gobain, in a particularly bright quality with special chromatic properties of the previously extensive studies have been made.
On 30 November 1993, the Group decided to discontinue production at Saint -Gobain Location. Was on 31 December 1995, after 300 years of glass production, glass manufactured for the last time at the place.
Demographics
Coat of arms
Blazon: "A red beam supported by main shield is blue - divided silver Eisenhutfeh ; down in black and pale, three silver salamander without flame glory, first and third turned to the left. "
Attractions
Building
- Church from the 12th century with its venerable crypt
- Monumental stone portal of the former glass factory
Natural Attractions
The forest surrounding the town, was formerly the property of the glass factory and is now state domain. It is a mixed forest with oaks, red and white beech, ash. Also, birch, bird cherry, lime and chestnut finds you. A network of footpaths runs through the forest. Especially remarkable trees are listed on the local hiking map; likewise points as the rocks of the hermitage ( Roches de l' Ermitage ), the Seizine Cross ( Croix Seizine ), the Sébourgand quarries ( carrières Sébourgand ) and others. The forest is rich in red and black game.
Economy and infrastructure
Tourism
Following the abolition of the glass production, the community relies on tourism as an economic factor and woos visitors.
Traffic
Train connection is via the railway station of La Fere 8 km away and the railway station of Tergnier 12 kilometers away. The latter offers fast, direct links to the Paris Gare du Nord and to Maubeuge.
About the Connection No. 12, the French motorway is 26 (E 17) in 15 km in a north - northeasterly direction reachable.