Comines, Nord

Comines ( Komen Dutch, Frans Komen ) is a commune with 12,637 inhabitants ( 1 January 2011) in the department of Nord, in the Nord -Pas -de -Calais.

Geography

The northern French municipality of Comines is on the river Leie (French: Lys), which constitutes to 25 kilometers, the border with Belgium. The the border river opposite place is also called Comines and is part of the Belgian municipality of Comines -Warneton. The city of Lille is located about 15 kilometers south of Comines, Kortrijk about 18 kilometers north-east.

History

The city had a strategic location on the Lys as access to Flanders and was in the course of the story several times destroyed and rebuilt. So the castle was the time of Charles de Croy rebuilt, the church Saint Chrysole was completed in 1615 and the Belfry ( Belfort German ) built in 1623 in its present form.

1668, the city along the Leie as a natural boundary was divided. The northern part now belonged to the Spanish Netherlands and the southern part to France. Louis XIV by Vauban further secure the castle, though the castle was destroyed in 1674 by the Spaniards. The Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 confirmed the Leie River as a border in the town.

After 1789 in the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars, the city was reunited with the annexation of Belgium. After 1830 with the independence of Belgium, the city was divided again. In the following years, the textile industry began in the - to expand the city - French.

Structures

The present church Saint Chrysole was built after the destruction of the original church 1925-1928 in neo-Byzantine style of Dom Bellot and consecrated in 1929.

A Belfort ( Belfry French ) are available in the city since the late 12th century; it symbolizes the self- administration of the city. The city hall and the belfry were destroyed in World War I and 1924, as it had been built in 1623, restored. The Belfry is a World Heritage Site since 2005 by UNESCO.

Géants de Comines

The Géants de Comines (German giants of Comines ) there since 1884 and are examples of the Pas -de- Calais in France and Belgium widespread traditional feasts on giant figures ( Géants du Nord ). 1884 occurred in Comines the figure of the Grande Gueuloute and P'tite Chorchire on for the first time. In 1984, added the figure of Buchard de Comines and 1987 the figure of Messire de Comines.

Buchard de Comines

Messire de Comines