District in charge of History par excellence, the Vieux-Lille
cheese does not have any therefore forgetting to change, to be modernized.
The changes, important, did not undermine testimonys of last which
make all the beauty of it and the district remains impossible to circumvent
for the tourists in visit in Lille.
For which tries hard of raising the head, the architectural richnesses
are numerous on the frontages and to stroll street of the Currency
remains a true always renewed pleasure.
According to the legend, the town of Lille would have been founded
into 640 thanks to the victory of Lydéric over the cruel
Phinaert tyrant. The two giants are today of all the festivals inhabitants
of Lille.
But, it is into 1066 that Lille is quoted for the first time in
the history. The name of the city comes from Latin “insula”
(island) bus at the time of its foundation to the XIth century,
emerging Lille of the marshes is surrounded and crossed by many
arms of Deûle.
It is in IXth century that appeared for the first time the County
of Flanders form up after the Verdun's treaties (843), and whose
Lille will become one of its capitals. The Charlemagne's grandson
, Charles « le Chauve », had inherited it his grandfather
and transmitted to his turn with his Gisele daughter. Thus by a
skilful and matrimonial politic, the town of Lille will live the
rise to power of the Counts de Flandre until the medium of XIVth
century. Louis de Mâle, last count of Flandre, has only one
girl, Marguerite, who marries in 1369 Philippe « le Hardi
», first Duke of Burgundy. The city becomes with Dijon and
Brussels one of the capitals of the Burgundian States, which extended
to their apogee from Holland until Mâconnais and the Franche-Comté.
The tragedy disappearance of Charles « le Téméraire
» (the last duke of Burgundy) in 1477 put abruptly an end
with the record of the court. His Marie daughter marries Maximilien
d' Habsbourg. Their grandson is the future Charles Quint. Lille
thus will divide for more than 150 years the destiny of the Spanish
Netherlands. One will need all will and the power of Louis XIV to
attach Lille to France in 1667 at the time of a war of devolution,
as still the Citadel built by Vauban testifies some. Arrive the
French revolution: the city is besieged by the Austrians (1792),
on the way for Paris, to release the King. The city, thanks to its
canonneers, succeeds in driving out the enemy. The Goddess, drawn
up on her base in the center of the « Grand'Place »
remains the witness of this heroic seat.
The XIXth century hoists Lille with the row of large industrial
capital, which very strongly increases by annexing five districs
(Wazemmes, Esquermes, Moulins, Fives, Saint Maurice), thus tripling
its surface and doubling the number of its inhabitants.
One century later (the 50's) the decline of the industry of the
textile will pose serious economic problems at the city. It then
decides to turn to the tertiary sector (banks, insurances, universities,
high schools and administrations). Euralille, the very new district
of the city, inaugurated in 1994 is the most alive example of a
perfectly successful reconversion. From here leave from now on the
non-stop trains towards Brussels, London, Paris, placing Lille in
the center of Western Northern Europe.
Today, with its 220.000 inhabitants, it is integrated in a urban
community of 87 communes, more than one million inhabitants, being
placed at the 4th rank of the metropolises to France. The great
cultural diversity of this so dynamic metropolis, contributed to
the nomination of Lille, “European Capital of the Culture”
and “Town of Art and History” in 2004.
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