Marche-en-Famenne
Encyclopedia
Marche-en-Famenne is a Walloon municipality
located in the Belgian
province
of Luxembourg. It is the unofficial capital of the Famenne
region, sandwiched between the Condroz, former land of the Condrusi
, to the north and the Ardennes
to the south.
The Marche-en-Famenne municipality
includes the old communes of Aye
, Grimbiémont, Hargimont, Hollogne, Humain, Lignières
, Marloie, On, Roy, Verdenne, and Waha
.
, Marche was just a little hamlet on the Marchette brook, one of the dependencies of the nearby Abbey of Stavelot
. In the 12th century, this territory was made part of the County of La Roche
. It was ideally located, on the main road between Namur
and Luxembourg
, and quickly evolved into a town
, which obtained its charter
in the 13th century. At the end of the century, in true medieval fashion, it acquired a complete system of defensive wall
s, with two gates, a series of watchtower
s, and a keep
. The market place and religious organizations, such as the Carmes convent founded in 1473, could thrive inside the closed city.
, son of Charles V
, inherited his father’s empire, the freedoms of Spain
’s Seventeen Provinces
to the north were reduced considerably, giving rise to the Eighty Years' War. In the aftermath of the Pacification of Ghent
, Don John of Austria, Philip II’s half brother, granted the Perpetual Edict, which was signed in the city in February 1577. The edict allowed for the departure of the Spanish troops and recognized most of the city’s freedoms, with the notable exception of religion. The war started again and Don John died a year later near Namur.
The castle and defensive walls were dismantled at the end of the 17th century on the orders of Louis XIV. A century later, the French Revolution
ary troops entered the city and closed the convent. Today, with its schools, light industries, military complex, and tourist attractions, Marche is a vibrant regional centre.
Municipalities of Belgium
Belgium comprises 589 municipalities grouped into five provinces in each of two regions and into a third region, the Brussels-Capital Region, comprising 19 municipalities that do not belong to a province...
located in the Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
province
Provinces of Belgium
Belgium is divided into three regions, two of them are subdivided into five provinces each.The division into provinces is fixed by Article 5 of the Belgian Constitution...
of Luxembourg. It is the unofficial capital of the Famenne
Famenne
Famenne is a natural region in southern Belgium. Together with The Fagne or la Fagne, west of the river Meuse, it is part of the Fagne-Famenne natural region...
region, sandwiched between the Condroz, former land of the Condrusi
Condrusi
The Condrusi were a Germanic tribe of ancient Belgium, which takes its name from the political and ethnic group known to the Romans as the Belgae. The Condrusi were probably located in the region now known as Condroz, named after them, between Liège and Namur...
, to the north and the Ardennes
Ardennes
The Ardennes is a region of extensive forests, rolling hills and ridges formed within the Givetian Ardennes mountain range, primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France , and geologically into the Eifel...
to the south.
The Marche-en-Famenne municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
includes the old communes of Aye
Aye
Aye is a tiny village located near Marche-en-Famenne in Belgium. The inhabitants of Aye are called the "Godis" in the Walloon dialect. The postal code is 6900.- External links :...
, Grimbiémont, Hargimont, Hollogne, Humain, Lignières
Lignières
Lignières may refer to:*in Switzerland:**Lignières, Neuchâtel*in France:**Lignières, Aube**Lignières, Cher**Lignières, Indre et Loire**Lignières, Loir-et-Cher**Lignières, Somme...
, Marloie, On, Roy, Verdenne, and Waha
Waha
Waha is a Belgian village located in the Province of Luxembourg in Wallonia. In 1977 the village merged with Aye, Hargimon, Humain, Marche-en-Famenne, Marloie, On, Champlon and Roy to form the municipality of Marche-en-Famenne.- Etymology :...
.
Middle Ages
In the early Middle AgesMiddle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, Marche was just a little hamlet on the Marchette brook, one of the dependencies of the nearby Abbey of Stavelot
Stavelot
Stavelot is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège. On January 1, 2006, Stavelot had a total population of 6,671. The total area is 85.07 km² which gives a population density of 78 inhabitants per km².-History:...
. In the 12th century, this territory was made part of the County of La Roche
La Roche-en-Ardenne
La Roche-en-Ardenne is a Walloon municipality of Belgium located in the province of Luxembourg.On 1 January 2007 the municipality, which covers 147.52 km², had 4,348 inhabitants, giving a population density of 29.5 inhabitants per km²....
. It was ideally located, on the main road between Namur
Namur (city)
Namur is a city and municipality in Wallonia, in southern Belgium. It is both the capital of the province of Namur and of Wallonia....
and Luxembourg
Luxembourg (city)
The city of Luxembourg , also known as Luxembourg City , is a commune with city status, and the capital of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. It is located at the confluence of the Alzette and Pétrusse Rivers in southern Luxembourg...
, and quickly evolved into a town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
, which obtained its charter
Charter
A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified...
in the 13th century. At the end of the century, in true medieval fashion, it acquired a complete system of defensive wall
Defensive wall
A defensive wall is a fortification used to protect a city or settlement from potential aggressors. In ancient to modern times, they were used to enclose settlements...
s, with two gates, a series of watchtower
Watchtower
A watchtower is a type of fortification used in many parts of the world. It differs from a regular tower in that its primary use is military, and from a turret in that it is usually a freestanding structure. Its main purpose is to provide a high, safe place from which a sentinel or guard may...
s, and a keep
Keep
A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word keep, but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the...
. The market place and religious organizations, such as the Carmes convent founded in 1473, could thrive inside the closed city.
After 1500
When in 1555 Philip II of SpainPhilip II of Spain
Philip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....
, son of Charles V
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
, inherited his father’s empire, the freedoms of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
’s Seventeen Provinces
Seventeen Provinces
The Seventeen Provinces were a personal union of states in the Low Countries in the 15th century and 16th century, roughly covering the current Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, a good part of the North of France , and a small part of Western Germany.The Seventeen Provinces were originally held by...
to the north were reduced considerably, giving rise to the Eighty Years' War. In the aftermath of the Pacification of Ghent
Pacification of Ghent
The Pacification of Ghent, signed on November 8, 1576, was an alliance of the provinces of the Habsburg Netherlands for the purpose of driving mutinying Spanish mercenary troops from the country, and at the same time a peace treaty with the rebelling provinces Holland and Zeeland.-Background:In...
, Don John of Austria, Philip II’s half brother, granted the Perpetual Edict, which was signed in the city in February 1577. The edict allowed for the departure of the Spanish troops and recognized most of the city’s freedoms, with the notable exception of religion. The war started again and Don John died a year later near Namur.
The castle and defensive walls were dismantled at the end of the 17th century on the orders of Louis XIV. A century later, the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
ary troops entered the city and closed the convent. Today, with its schools, light industries, military complex, and tourist attractions, Marche is a vibrant regional centre.
Sights
- The city centre includes a few interesting buildings, such as the St Remacle church and the old Carmes convent.
- The city is the home of several museums, including a laceLaceLace is an openwork fabric, patterned with open holes in the work, made by machine or by hand. The holes can be formed via removal of threads or cloth from a previously woven fabric, but more often open spaces are created as part of the lace fabric. Lace-making is an ancient craft. True lace was...
museum, which is housed in one of the last remnants of the city’s medieval walls and commemorates the hundreds of lace workers that lived in the Marche area in the 18th century. - The Famenne museum gives a good overview of the region’s art and history.
Festivities
- The Grosse Biesse (Great Beast) carnival takes place every year in February. It features the beast, as well as the city’s mascot Gugusse, traditional giants, and several other groups of joyful characters.
- A folkloric group called La Plovinette (Fine Drizzle) specializes in traditional Walloon dancing.
People associated with the commune
- Pierre Bailly, Belgian comics artist.
- Jacques BeurletJacques BeurletJacques Beurlet is a retired Belgian footballer.During his career he played for R. Standard de Liège. He earned 3 caps for the Belgium national football team, and participated in the 1970 FIFA World Cup....
, football player. - André Bouchat, politician.
- Arnaud BrihayArnaud BrihayArnaud Brihay is a Belgian artist, born in Marche-en-Famenne in 1972. He lives and works in Lyon, France.-Solo Exhibitions:2010* "Privacy, from private intimacy to urban intimacies". Photography at Le Quai des Arts, Les Subsistances, Lyon.2009...
, Belgian artist. - Dany, Belgian comics artist.
- Frans DepooterFrans DepooterFrans Depooter, born in Mons, Belgium, in 1898, was a Belgian painter. He died in 1987 in Maffe at age 89....
, Belgian painter. - Willy Deweert, Belgian writer.
- Benoît Feroumont, Belgian comics artist.
- Charles Hanin, politician.
- Jean Jadot, Belgian ingineer.
- Joseph Nusbaum, Belgian architect.
- Brigitte OlivierBrigitte OlivierBrigitte Olivier is a Belgian judoka.-Achievements:-References:* on JudoInside.com...
, Belgian judoka. - Phil, Belgian comics artist.
- Luc Templier, writer.
External links
- Official city web site (in FrenchFrench languageFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
) - Official site of the tourism office (in FrenchFrench languageFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
) - Alternative site (in FrenchFrench languageFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
) - The Grosse Biesse carnival (in FrenchFrench languageFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
)