Rocroi

Rocroi
Commune
A general view of Rocroi
Coat of arms
Location of Rocroi
Rocroi Rocroi
Coordinates: 49°55′34″N 4°31′20″E
Country	France
Region	Grand Est
Department	Ardennes
Arrondissement	Charleville-Mézières
Canton	Rocroi
Government
• Mayor (2008–2014)	Michel Sobanska
Area 1	50.41 km2 (19.46 sq mi)
Population  (2021)	2,259
• Density	45/km2 (120/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	08367 /08230
Elevation	385 m (1,263 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Rocroi is a commune in the Ardennes department in northern France.

The central area is a notable surviving example of a Star Fort.

Population

Historical population

Year Pop. ±% 1793 3,260 —     1800 2,846 −12.7% 1806 3,008 +5.7% 1821 3,501 +16.4% 1831 3,173 −9.4% 1836 3,232 +1.9% 1841 3,780 +17.0% 1846 3,590 −5.0% 1851 3,765 +4.9% 1866 2,998 −20.4% 1872 2,281 −23.9% 1876 2,381 +4.4% 1881 2,977 +25.0% 1886 3,172 +6.6% 1891 2,265 −28.6% 1896 2,193 −3.2%

Year Pop. ±% 1901 2,176 −0.8% 1906 2,116 −2.8% 1911 2,256 +6.6% 1921 2,127 −5.7% 1926 2,442 +14.8% 1931 2,436 −0.2% 1936 2,250 −7.6% 1946 1,969 −12.5% 1954 2,348 +19.2% 1962 2,870 +22.2% 1968 2,997 +4.4% 1975 2,911 −2.9% 1982 2,789 −4.2% 1990 2,555 −8.4% 1999 2,420 −5.3% 2008 2,386 −1.4%

History

Rocroi was fortified by Francis I of France and expanded by Henry II of France. Because of its strategic location in the north of France it changed hands a number of times during wars. It is best known for the Battle of Rocroi in 1643. In the 1670s the fortifications were re-modelled by the French engineer Vauban.

In 1815, two months after the Battle of Waterloo, the town was taken by Prussian and British forces (on 16 August).

Rocroi seen from the air shows its defensive structure

See also

• Communes of the Ardennes department
• List of bastion forts

External links

• Webpage about the fortifications of Rocroi