| Arlon | |||
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| Arlon centre with bell tower of St. Martin's Church | |||
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Arlon
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| Coordinates: | |||
| Country | Belgium | ||
| Region | Wallonia | ||
| Community | French Community | ||
| Province | Luxembourg | ||
| Arrondissement | Arlon | ||
| Government | |||
| • Mayor | Raymond Biren (cdH) | ||
| • Governing party/ies | cdH, PS | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 118.64 km2 (45.8 sq mi) | ||
| Population (1 January 2010)[1] | |||
| • Total | 27,763 | ||
| • Density | 234/km2 (606.1/sq mi) | ||
| Postal codes | 6700, 6704, 6706 | ||
| Area codes | 063 | ||
| Website | www.arlon.be (French) | ||
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Map of Arlon
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| (Margraviate) County of Arlon (Mark)grafschaft Arel (lb) (Margraviat) Comté d'Arlon (fr) (Mark)graafschap Aarle (li) (Mark)graafschap Aarlen (nl) |
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| State of the Holy Roman Empire | ||||
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| Capital | Arel (Arlon) | |||
| Government | Principality | |||
| Historical era | Middle Ages | |||
| - Established | 950 | |||
| - Raised to margraviate | ca 1167 | |||
| - United with the County of Luxembourg |
1214 |
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| - Annexed to the Duchy of Limburg |
1221 1221 |
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Arlon (French pronunciation: [aʁlɔ̃]; Luxembourgish: Arel; Dutch: Aarlen [Dutch pronunciation: [ˈaːr.lə(n)]]; German: Arel; Walloon: Årlon) is a Walloon municipality of Belgium located in the province of Luxembourg, of which it is the capital, and part of Arelerland (Land of Arlon). Despite the Luxembourgish majority population, the city was not included in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and an assimilation process to the French language continued undisturbed.[2]
The municipality of Arlon includes the villages of Autelbas (Luxembourgish: Nidderälter), Autelhaut, Barnich, Bonnert (Bunnert), Clairefontaine, Fouches, Frassem, Freylange, Guirsch (Giisch), Heckbous, Heinsch (Häschel), Sampont, Sesselich, Seymerich, Sterpenich, Toernich (Täernech), Udange, Viville, Waltzing, and Weyler.
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Before the Roman conquests of Gaul, the territory of Arlon and a vast area to the southeast were settled by the Treveri, a tribe of mixed Celtic and Germanic origins. The local population adapted relatively easily to Roman culture. The number and quality of sculpted stones and monuments that have been unearthed in the area demonstrate that the vicus of Orolaunum quickly became a vibrant commercial and administrative centre of Roman civilization. The Germanic invasions of the 3rd century destroyed most of these early advances, despite the defensive walls that had been built on the Knipchen hill to protect the vicus.
During most of the Middle Ages, the population still used the earlier buildings such as the thermae. In 1060, Waleran I of Limburg, Count of Arlon, built a castle on the Knipchen hill. In the 13th century, the only feminine Cistercian abbey known to date was built in Clairefontaine.
The Duchy of Luxembourg itself, of which Arlon was dependent, became part of the Burgundian Netherlands under Philip the Good in 1441. After Charles V's abdication of his empire to his son Philip II of Spain in 1556, a troubled period started for the whole region as continuous wars opposed France, Spain, and the Southern Netherlands. In 1558, nearly half of the city, including its castle, was destroyed by the French troops of Francis, Duke of Guise. In the 17th century, Capuchin monks built a convent on the ruins of the castle and the French strengthened the defensive walls according to Vauban's designs. An accidental fire destroyed a large part of the city again in 1785.
On June 9, 1793, the French Revolutionary troops opposed the Austrians just outside of Arlon. The French emerged victorious and occupied the city. They expelled the Capuchin monks and used their convent as a hospital. After the Battle of Waterloo, Arlon's history is entwined with that of Belgium.
Arlon was one of the first victims of the German invasion in 1914 as 121 inhabitants were executed on August 26 on the orders of Colonel Richard Karl von Tessmar. Its territory was again among the first to be invaded at the onset of World War II. During the second world war the mayor collaborated with the Germans. He was shot in 1946.
Being situated very close to the border with the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Arlon has continued to expand with new residential areas and commercial development zones, and many people cross the border everyday to work in the Grand Duchy. One of the largest industrial employers is the Ferrero Rocher chocolate factory. Having the last station on the main Brussels—Luxembourg City railway line, all International express trains make a stop in Arlon.
Arlon is twinned with:
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