Binche
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 Binche
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| Coordinates: 50°24′N 04°10′E / 50.4°N 4.167°E | |||
| Country | Belgium | ||
| Region | Wallonia | ||
| Community | French Community | ||
| Province | Hainaut | ||
| Arrondissement | Thuin | ||
| Government | |||
| • Mayor | Laurent Devin (PS) | ||
| • Governing party/ies | PS, MR, independent | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 60.66 km2 (23.42 sq mi) | ||
| Population (1 January 2010)[1] | |||
| • Total | 32,749 | ||
| • Density | 540/km2 (1,400/sq mi) | ||
| Postal codes | 7130, 7131, 7133, 7134 | ||
| Area codes | 064 | ||
| Website | www.binche.be | ||
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Map of Binche
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Binche (French pronunciation: [bɛ̃ʃ]) is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut.[2] On January 1, 2006 Binche had a total population of 32,409. The total area is 60.66 km² which gives a population density of 534 inhabitants per km². Since 1977, the municipality of Binche has gathered the town of Binche itself with seven old municipalities : Bray, Buvrinnes, Epinois, Leval-Trahegnies, Péronnes-lez-Binche, Ressaix et Waudrez.
In 2003, the Carnival of Binche was proclaimed one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.
The motto of the city is "Plus Oultre" (meaning "Further" in Old French), which was the motto of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, who in 1545 gave the medieval castle of Binche to his sister, Queen Mary of Hungary, Governess of the Netherlands. She lavished attention on Binche, which she had rebuilt under the direction of an architect-sculptor Jacques du Broeucq, remembered today as the first master of Giambologna. The château, intended to rival Fontainebleau, was destroyed by the soldiers of Henry II of France in 1554.
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
- ^ Population per municipality on 1 January 2010 (XLS; 221 KB)
- ^ Also spelt Binch in some English sources.
[edit] External links (in French)
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Binche |
- Official site of the city of Binche
- Union binchoise des Étudiants de Louvain
- Patrimoine du musée International
- Rugbyclub de Binche
- La Binchoise, Belgian Brewery, Binche
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