Lille (France) – the most detailed information about the city with photos. The main attractions of Lille with a description, guides and cards.
Contents
City Lille (France)
Lille is a city in the north of France, the capital of the O-de-France region and Department of Nor. Has a reputation as an industrial center with a fabulous historical core. Lille is the historical capital of Flanders, therefore Flemish influence here is felt especially strongly. Old city known for its many beautiful baroque buildings with exquisite gabled roofs and chic 19th century mansions. Lille – one of the largest cities in France with a vibrant urban life, interesting sights and magnificent museums collections which are second only to the museums of Paris.
- Geography and climate
- Practical information
- Story
- sights
- Video
- Maps and guides
- Comments and reviews
Geography and climate
Lille is located in the north of France on the left bank of the river. Dohl is 14 km from the border with Belgium and 200 km from Paris. Climate – temperate offshore with warm summers and cool winters.
Lille in winter
Practical information
- The population is over 230 thousand people.
- The area is 34.8 km2.
- The language is French.
- Currency – Euro.
- Visa – Schengen.
- Time – Central European UTC +1, in summer +2.
- The nearest international airports are Paris Charles de Gaulle and Brussels Charleroi. Lille is connected by high-speed trains with Paris, Lyon, Marseille and Strasbourg.
- Lille has two automated metro lines, which connects the center with the suburbs.
- Many shops can be found in the Grand Place area. The largest shopping center in Lille is Euralille.
- Le Furet du Nord in the Place de la Gaulle (General de Gaulle) is the largest bookstore in Europe.
- Lille is famous for its sweets, waffles and gastronomy with significant Flemish influence.
- Despite its charm and dynamism, Lille has some security issues. Mainly pickpockets, drunk revelers and homeless. Be careful watch out behind your things and avoid noisy neighborhoods at night bars.
Story
Already in the Middle Ages, on the left bank of the River Döhl existed small settlement. The village was called simply – l’île, that translated as “island”. In the 11th century the Flemish built fortifications vs norman From now on, Lille begins intensively. develop under the rule of Flanders. A few decades later the city withstands the siege of the French. Lille reached its highest peak in late 12th century, but subsequent wars with France stopped him prosperity. At the beginning of the 13th century, French king Philip II August several times he captured and burned the city.
Streets of Lille
At the end of the 13th century, a new war was declared between Flanders and By france. It resulted in a series of military conflicts, during which the city passed from hand to hand several times. In the 15th – 16th century Lille again began to develop dynamically and was one of the most important cities of the region. The city was famous for its lace and was a major shopping center. In 1668, Lille became part of the French kingdom
Panorama of Lille
From 1708 to 1713 the Austrians owned Lille. In the 19th century he continued its development as an industrial and commercial city. In 1890 Charles de Gaulle was born here.
sights
Old lille
Lille has a gorgeous old town that delights Baroque mansions of the 18th and 19th century in the Flemish style architecture. Also, the historical center is famous for its many shops, restaurants and bars.
Place de Gaulle (Big square)
Place de Gaulle (Large Square) – the heart of Lille and lively urban space surrounded by majestic Flemish Renaissance and Baroque buildings with neoclassical facades. The square is the center of city life and is filled with cafes and restaurants. In the center of the square there is a monument in honor resistance to the Austrian siege.
Old stock stock exchange
On the south side of the square is the old exchange of the 17th century, which is an example of the Flemish baroque style. Exchange consists of the 24 buildings that surround the Renaissance courtyard.
Town hall
The Town Hall is a grand Art Deco building built between 1924 and 1932 years. The main feature of the town hall is high 104-meter tower, which in 2005 was included in the list UNESCO World Heritage sites.
The museum fine arts
Museum of Fine Arts – the second largest Art Museum of France after the Paris Louvre. Collections The museum includes masterpieces of European painting – paintings Rubens, Van Dyck, Goya and Delacroix, wonderful examples 19th century French painting and impressionism, antiquities and sculptures.
Saint Maurice
Saint-Maurice is a beautiful Gothic church, founded in the 14th century. The building has a harmonious interior and tall columns. Inside the church are paintings by local artists of the 17th – 18th centuries. In one of the chapels is an interesting statue of the 16th century.
Church of sv. Catherine
Church of sv. Catherine – another medieval gothic a church that dates back to the 15th century. It has beautiful murals and surrounded by historic buildings. Also nearby is the church St. Andrew of the 18th century, built for the Order of the Carmelites.
Notre Dame de la Trail
Notre-Dame de la Trail – an interesting neo-gothic cathedral, the construction of which was begun in 1854. The building was finally completed only in 1990 and open to the public 9 years later.
Citadel
The citadel is a fortification of the 17th century, designed by the famous military engineer Vauban. Citadel was built over 3 years and consists of 3 million stone blocks, 70 000 pieces of sandstone and 60 million bricks. Military base is located here so far.
Riour Palace
Riour Palace is one of the few medieval buildings in Lille. This a gothic mansion was built in 1453 for dukes Burgundy.
Video
Maps and guides
Tourist Card
