Soignies

Soignies (delivery, in Dutch Zinnik , in Walloon Sougniye ) is a French-speaking city of Belgium, located in Walloon region, chief town of district in Province of Hainaut. The altitude of the commune varies between more or less 70 and 140 meters (100 to 110 meters for the center town).

Amalgamated communes included/understood in the entity

Casteau in the south, Roadway-Our-Lady-Louvignies, Horrues, Neufvilles in the west, Naast and Thieusies in south-east.

Etymology

The name of Soignies finds its origin in the Celtic word sagunnia which was transformed later into Sunniacum Latin word meaning “city on the Senne”.

History

That certain Sonégiens venerate and regard as the father of their city (holy Vincent), was called in fact Madelgaire like his/her father, the name of his mother being Onuguère. Resulting from the franque aristocracy, it would have been born, towards 610.

A church existed already in Soignies at the 7th century: a sarcophagus mérovingien discovered in 1900 in the central nave of collegial and today with the museum of the Old man-Cemetery attests it. The monastery of Soignies is quoted for the first time in the Traité of Meerssen (870). Completed about the middle of the 12th century, the collegial one seems at this time a church of community and a church of pilgrimage. Soignies obtained the statute of city in 1825.

Curiosities

Museum of the chapter: located close to collegial, the museum of the chapter revives the treasures of the canons. He proposes a collection of varied works dating from 10th at the 18th century.
the old cemetery: today public park and museum, the old cemetery is marked out votive vaults and funerary stones. It goes back partly to the 12th century but also has a Gothic chorus of the 17th century. Become museum since 1896, it illustrates the period active of 1830 with 1945 while also proposing collections relating to the archaeological discoveries of the area such as for example of the objects dating from the Roman epoch.
the Collegial Saint-Vincent , collegial Romance: built essentially in XIe century, probably above the initial church dating from the 7th century, this large conventual church suitable for the Romanesque architecture scaldienne is primarily made up of sandstone hardcores coming from close careers. This relatively heterogeneous architectural jewel constitutes a single curiosity in the medieval architecture of Belgium. To also see the treasure of collegial, one of most important of the country, consisted the mounting and the reliquary of the chief of saint Vincent (13th century). The collegial one is currently in repair. It will reopen its doors in 2009.
Center of the blue stone and glass: Exposure of tools and document concerning to the blue stone quarries. Collection of fossils (trilobites,…) found in the careers…

Climate

The climate of the area of Soignies is a moderate Climat oceanic as for the whole of the Western part of the Belgium and that thanks to the proximity of the Atlantic Ocean which controls time thanks to the calorific inertia of its water. Climate perhaps influenced by wetlands and soft coming from the ocean but also by dry zones (hot in summer and cold in winter) coming from the interior of the European continent . On average (average made over one period covering the 100 last years), one observes per annum approximately 200 days of Pluie in the area of Soignies just like in the major part of the Belgium (More in the Ardennes and less at the coast).

Geology

The basement of Soignies consists of layers dating from the Tournaisien (Carbonifère), approximately 350 million years ago. The calcareous stone (dyed gray-blue) is very hard and is called “small granite”. It is made up with more than 93% of CaCO₃. It is an excellent stone of construction. These stones were used during the construction of large buildings in Belgium and abroad (Hall of the exposures to Brussels, Promenade in face of dam with the Breakdown, etc)

Festivities/Folklore

Instituted in 1262, the Saint-Vincent turn is a procession which takes place the Whit Monday. The relic (Mounting) of Vincent saint is transferred onto a preset circuit on the territory of the city.

The local carnival takes place previous saturdays third Sunday of October. The festival which is named " Simpélourd" (Contraction of simple and heavy) car its origin of the history of a poor fellow who was regularly misled by his wife.

Local personalities

Binche-native Gilles
Jules Bordet
François de Cuvilliés, architect of the German rococo
Paul van Zeeland
J.J. Lionel, the interpreter of the Dance of the ducks
Luc Declercq, poet, writer

Twinnings

Economy

The town of Soignies is in particular recognized for its blue stone quarries (Small Granite) and its industry of the Verre.

Companies present at Soignies:

Bong Belgium : Envelopes
Belgian blue Quarries stone: Pierre Blue
Careers of Hainaut: Pierre Blue
Careers Gauthier & Wincqz: Pierre Blue
International Delcampe: auctions of objects of collection
Durobor: Glassmaking
Gralex: Aggregates, gravels
Mactac: Adhesive products
Technic-Gum: Handling and Products against abrasion
Ready-Concrete: Ready-mixed concrete

Soltau (concentration camp)

External bonds *

Site of the commune of Soignies.
Site of the Arts center of Soignies.
Site of the Union of the Cities and Communes of Wallonia asbl.
Blog devoted to the installation of the Mound to the megaliths Way Lette Turn in Soignies.
Blog devoted to the architectural heritage and the history of Soignies and its villages, walks in Hainaut.

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