Hennebont

Hennebont Henbont
Hennebont
Location within Brittany region  Hennebont
Administration
Country	France
Region	Brittany
Department	Morbihan
Arrondissement	Lorient
Canton	Hennebont
Intercommunality	Pays de Lorient
Mayor	Gérard Perron (2008—2014)
Statistics
Elevation	0–82 m (0–269 ft) (avg. 5 m/16 ft)
Land area1	18.57 km2 (7.17 sq mi)
Population2	13,412  (1999)
- Density	722 /km2 (1,870 /sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	56083/ 56700
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Hennebont (Breton: Henbont) is a commune in the Morbihan department in the region of Brittany in north-western France.

Geography

Hennebont is situated about ten miles from the mouth of the River Blavet, which divides it into two parts: the Ville Close, the medieval walled town, and the 17th century Ville Neuve on the left bank and the oldest site: the Vieille Ville on the right. The old walled town (Ville Close) still has traces of its medieval ramparts dating from the 13th to 15th centuries as well as a large fortified 15th century gatehouse complete with double-doors with drawbridge slots, known as the Porte du Broërec.

History

Hennebont is famed for its resistance, under Joanna of Flanders, the widow of Jean de Montfort, to the armies of Philip of Valois and Charles of Blois when besieged in 1342 during the War of the Breton Succession.

In August 1944, a large section of the old walled town, especially the ramparts, towers and medieval buildings, sustained major damage during the bombing of German positions entrenched in the downtown area.

Points of interest

• Parc botanique de Kerbihan

Demographics

Inhabitants of Hennebont are called Hennebontais.

Breton language

In 2008, 5,45% of the children of Hennebont attended bilingual primary schools.

Twin towns

Hennebont is twinned with:

• Kronach, Bavaria, Germany
• Mourdiah, Mali
• Mumbles, Wales, United Kingdom

See also

• Communes of the Morbihan department

External links

• French Ministry of Culture list for Hennebont (French)
• Map of Hennebont on Michelin (English)
• Pictures of Hennebont Basilica: [1], [2]

References

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 
• INSEE commune file