Tourcoing


Tourcoing (Dutch: Toerkonje ), common French located in the department of the Northern (59). It is the Chef-lieu of three cantons. Its inhabitants is called Tourquennois.

Strong of a population of a little less than one hundred thousand hearts, bordering on the Belgium, Tourcoing forms a large metropolis with its two partners, Lille and Roubaix, to which one adds sometimes Mouscron.

The city remains famous for the extraordinary economic advancement which she knew during the Industrial revolution at the 19th century, thanks to the Textile. It is called " the City of the Broutteux ".

Geography

Tourcoing forms integral part of the plain of Flandres.

The relief of Tourcoing is thus primarily flat, with a height of a little less than one about fifty meters above the sea level.

Compared to the cities close to less importance (Roncq, Halluin, Neuville-in-Ferrain and Mouscron), Tourcoing gives the impression to be a " vallon" surrounded by some rare hills (Mount of Halluin, Mount-with-Leux with Wattrelos…). The city has nevertheless districts with a little more relief, the such Brown-Bread and the Francs.

Tourcoing is crossed by no river of importance. This wet ground on the other hand comprises many brooks of more or less great water flow, inter alia Espierre and Becque de Neuville. These rivers are now underground following the urban development. The only inland waterway and currently with the free air is the channel of Tourcoing, dug at the 19th century following the industrialization and the extraordinary economic advancement of the city. This channel, which is a ramification of the Canal of Roubaix which joint the Deûle with the the Scheldt, will be partly reopened with tourist navigation in 2008 (program Blue Links). It is used as framework during the summer season with the festival of Tourcoing Plage.

History

For more details, to see the article History of Tourcoing.

The first mention of Tourcoing in an official text goes up with 1080: it is about a deed of gift of the Abbaye of Harelbecque, which has as a witness certain Saswalus de Turconium. In 1130, the first church, dedicated to Holy Vaast (which will become thereafter the church Saint Christophe), is built. Seigniory by Tourcoing, which is composed of an agricultural borough whose inhabitants increase their incomes by making drapery, overcomes with difficulty the devastations of the Guerre One hundred Year old and of the wars of religion. In 1360, its inhabitants obtain a royal Sceau attesting the quality of their cloths. In 1491, Maximilien of Austria, which dominates the Flanders then, grants a frank fair to him. In 1668, the Châtellenie of Lille, to which belonged Tourcoing, is definitively attached to the France. With the Revolution, the city counts nearly 15000 inhabitants.

At the 19th century, it will take an extraordinary rise following the Industrial revolution and will be one of the " queens of the Textile ". Its population reaches soon a hundred and thousand inhabitants. In 1860, the church Saint Christophe is considerably increased and becomes one of the most beautiful buildings Néo-gothique S of North. In 1885, construction of the current town hall. In 1906 finally, at the time of the international exhibition of textile industries (which proceed in Tourcoing), is built the Beffroi Chamber of commerce. The city is particularly marked by the mandate of the mayor Gustave Dron (mayor of 1899 with 1919 and 1925 with 1930), who undertook a social philosopher's stone. Thereafter, Tourcoing undergoes the difficult German occupations during the First World War and the Second world war. The " City of Broutteux" by the textile crisis of the years 1970 was seriously touched.

Administration

The old alderman of Tourcoing exists at least since 1432. The first Baillif was Gautier of the Meadows, and the first aldermen Pierrart de Falempin and Jean Noblet. In 1447, one finds as aldermen: Jean of the Manor house, Arnoul the Master, Jean Noblet and as baillif Guillaume of Bus.
There existed also a échevinage specific to the district of Poutrains, which was at the time an independent Baronnie (it should be specified that Tourcoing, under the Ancien Mode, constituted only one and even parish but was divided into true a imbroglio feudal strongholds).

Tourcoing and all its districts administratively became a City with municipal council in 1790.

The city is Chef-lieu of three cantons:

Demography

Graph of evolution of the population

Monuments and architecture

Buildings tourquennois impossible to circumvent :

  • Church Saint Christophe (and 19th century): Remarkable association of stones and bricks, recently restored, decorated of a Bell-tower high of 80 meters and of a chime of more than 60 Bell S, the church Saint Christophe is regarded as one of the most beautiful neo-gothic buildings of North.

  • Town hall (1885): Built in the fields of the Architect Charles Maillard, the town hall of Tourcoing is characteristic of the style Napoleon III. Vast proportions, it is about one of most beautiful testimonys of one time the economic success. To note, its large hall in atrium and the interior decoration of the rooms (for more information, to see the specific article Town hall of Tourcoing) .

  • Old the Chamber of commerce and its Belfry (1906): This belfry of angle, of eclectic style, recalls the Flemish Renaissance . It was built with the glory of the prosperity of Tourcoing at the time of the International exhibition of Textile industries of 1906.

  • the old people's home of Harbor (17th century): founded in 1260 by Mahaut de Guisnes, the Cloister and the Chapelle date from the 17th century. Rehabilitated in " Folie" house; at the time of Lille 2004 (European capital of the culture this year), the old people's home of Harbor is currently a high cultural place tourquennois.

Civil architecture :

  • the station of Tourcoing (1906), built at the time of the textile International exhibition.
  • the college of State Gambetta (1885), typical of the end of the 19th century.
  • the college Colbert (1935), in a style néo-Flemish.
  • Shooting range (1905).
  • Hospital Gustave-Dron (1905).
  • the Welfare office (1894).
  • Downtown area and neighborhood (particularly National street and street of Lille): a great number of private mansions (old residences of the textile industrial families) in the course of restoration (in particular the Rasson-Wattine hotel), built at the end of the 19th century in an eclectic style inspired of the Rebirth.

Religious architecture :

  • Notre-Dame Church of the Angels (1850), of which the interior testifies to a style blazing Napoleon III.
  • Notre-Dame Vault of Marlière, together of XVIIe, XVIIIe and XIXe century, place of pilgrimage.
  • Free Institution of the Sacred Heart, hall and Main courtyard (1853), Vault (1859).
  • In all the districts of the city, the churches (generally out of bricks) dated from second half of the 19th century, in particular the church Holy-Anne with the Brown-Bread and the Notre-Dame church of the Consolation to the Bridge of Neuville.

Personalities related to the City

Teaching

  • Establishments of secondary education:
    • free Institution of the Sacred Heart, founded in 1666.
    • Industrial and commercial College Private.
    • College of State Gambetta.
    • Scientific College and Technical Colbert.
    • College Jehanne-with Arc.
    • Marie-Noëlle College.
    • The-Corbusier College.
    • Sévigné College.
    • College Roussel
    • College Notre-Dame de Wailly.
    • Notre-Dame College of the Immaculate Conception.
    • Edouard-Branly College.
    • College Cardinal Liénart.
    • College Charles-of-Foucauld.
    • College Charles-Péguy.
    • College of Europe.
    • College Pierre-Mendès-France.
    • College Marie-Curie.
    • College Saint-Gabriel

  • Establishments of higher education:

    • technical Academic institute: 3 departments (social careers; Infocom; management, logistics and transport)
    • ERSEP (higher regional School of plastic expression)
    • Training center of male nurses of the Red Cross.
    • National school of Customs (END), charged to train the future inspectors of this administration. The geographical location of the school places the pupils in the middle of an environment favourable with the observation and the training of the customs activity. Indeed, the interrégion of the customs of Lille (59) presents a large range of the customs missions which constitute the screen of the teaching of the inspector-pupils: international airport (Lille-Lesquin), 3rd French port (Dunkirk), specialized in particular in the taking out of bond of the oil products.

Sport

  • Football: Tourcoing shone in football only when its clubs knew to be linked with those of Roubaix to create the CO more known Roubaix-Tourcoing under name CORT. The current club names TFC (Tourcoing Football Club).
  • Volley ball: The city has a club of volleyball within the elite, the Tourcoing Lille Métropole more known Volley ball under name TLM . Dispute the cuts of Europe regularly.
  • Basketball: The city also counts a club playing in Main road 2 (hen D), the Young Association Keeps of Tourcoing .
  • Athletics: A high level club, the Sporting union Tourquennoise , in particular involving Robert Korzeniowski triple Olympic champion, double champion of the world and holder of the world records of the 50 kilometers goes.
  • Fight: A club of fight considered, the fighter club of Tourcoing, of which is member Vanessa Boubryemm, gold medal of the championships of Europe 2006 (less 51kg in female fight).
  • Water polo: Children of Neptune (ENT), in the French and European elite.
  • Fencing: Center of Initiation to the Fencing of Tourcoing (CIET) where Didier Flament evolved/moved, Olympic champion in 1980.

Cultural life

The City also counts many artistic and cultural structures (not-exhaustive list):

  • the municipal theater (with Italian), the Living room of Theater and the Theater of the Ideal for the rooms of dramatic art.

  • the transborder theatrical Company of the Comma, directed by Mr. Jean-Marc Chotteau, professional troop.
  • Theater of Broutteux (puppets).
  • Large the Mix, concert hall.
  • the old people's home of Harbor, arts center.
  • Fresnoy - national Studio of the contemporary arts.

Music

  • the Academy of Music and Dance (ENM)
  • the Lyric Workshop of Mr. Jean-Claude Malgoire.
  • Crick-Sicks, Choral society of Men.
  • the Orchestra of Harmony of the City.

Museums

  • Museum of the Art schools.
  • Museum of June 5th, 1944 " Verlaine" message;.
  • Center of Local History.
  • Museum of the Chime (the church Saint-Christophe shelters in its largest bell-tower Carillon of France, with 62 bells).

Future

Tourcoing, disaster victim by the crisis of the years 1970, seems to go up the slope for some time, in spite of a very high unemployment rate and a regrettable insecurity in certain districts.

Indeed, the city achieved various work of great importance:

  • prolongation of the underground line to the Dron hospital, located close to the Belgian border with Mouscron.

  • already a few years ago, the remarkable restoration (supplements) church Saint-Christophe, considered rightly as the jewel of the city.
  • recent restoration of the old people's home of Harbor and its reconversion in artistic and cultural center.

Are still in project:

  • the creation of a shopping mall and shopping malls in the downtown area, in order to redynamiser this last. (This shopping mall should be born from here at 2009)

  • the construction of a new swimming pool (in the respect of the old frontages of the ex-barracks of the firemen of the 19th century) beside the town hall, which will be a nautical center multifunction (wave basin, tobbogans, saunas… Another basin of Olympic size will be built in the next years with Tourcoing by the Urban community of Lille: this center of Community swimming (which should thus manage the whole of the population of the metropolis of Lille, Roubaix and Tourcoing) will be finished in 2008.

This last project answers the tradition tourquennoise as regards swimming: it is on the initiative of Gustave Dron, the famous mayor of Tourcoing, that the first swimming pool of the city was built in 1904: this building, typical of the local architecture of the beginning of the 20th century, remains always today, but is currently closed and does not have a new assignment yet.

Twinning

The town of Tourcoing is twinned with nine cities:

Festivities

  • international Grand Prix of fight.
  • Frank Fair.
  • Tourcoing Beach.
  • Challenge of Fencing.
  • Festival of the lighters
  • Festival of Jazz.
  • Loops Tourquennoises (athletics).

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