Pont-à-Celles
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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  Pont-à-Celles
Location in Belgium
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| Sovereign state |  Belgium |
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| Region |  Wallonia |
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| Community | French Community |
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| Province |  Hainaut |
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| Arrondissement | Charleroi | ||
| Coordinates | 50°30′0″N 04°21′0″E / 50.5°N 4.35°ECoordinates: 50°30′0″N 04°21′0″E / 50.5°N 4.35°E | ||
| Area | 55.73 km² | ||
| Population – Males – Females – Density |
16,292 (2006-01-01) 48.39% 51.61% 292 inhab./km² |
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| Unemployment rate | 14.23% (1 January 2006) | ||
| Mean annual income | €13,135/pers. (2003) | ||
| Mayor | Christian Dupont (PS) | ||
| Governing parties | PS, MR | ||
| Postal codes | 6230, 6238 | ||
| Area codes | 071 | ||
| Website | www.pontacelles.be | ||
Pont-à-Celles is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. On January 1, 2006, Pont-à-Celles had a total population of 16,292. The total area is 55.73 km² which gives a population density of 292 inhabitants per km².
[edit] Villages
The following villages are part of the municipality of Pont-à-Celles : Buzet, Liberchies, Luttre, Obaix, Pont-à-Celles (village that gave its name to the municipality), Thimeon, Viesville.
[edit] Origin of the name
Pont-à-Celles draws its name from Latin Cella, meaning room or cell of monk, probably because of the presence of the monastery founded in VIIe century, by Saint Amand (apostle of Belgium). The jurisdiction on which this primitive monastery was established, and then the priory of the Park, was called Celles, and later Pont-à-Celles. The name of Pont-à-Celles appears for the first time during the XVIth century, when the monks of the Park built a bridge on the Pieton river near to the church. The parishioners of Luttre and Hairiamont then had to cross the bridge for going to service (bridge to Celles, Pont-à-Celles). Gradually, this name extended to all the parish whose territory covered six seigniories. When in 1795, the French replaced these six seigniories by a newly created municipality, they adopted the name of the parish (Pont-à-Celles). In 1815, after the defeat of Napoleon in Waterloo, our territories were annexed to The Netherlands. With this occasion, the department of Jemappes (to which belonged Pont-à-Celles) became the province of Hainaut.
[edit] Django Reinhardt
The famous Jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt was born in Liberchies. Every May, the community honors him with the open air Django Reinhardt Jazz Festival.
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