Virton
Viertån (Gaumais)
City and municipality
The town hall
The town hall
Flag of Virton
Flag
Coat of arms of Virton
Coat of arms
Location of Virton
Virton is located in Belgium
Virton
Virton
Location in Belgium
Location of Virton in Luxembourg province
Coordinates: 49°34.05′N 05°31.95′E / 49.56750°N 5.53250°E / 49.56750; 5.53250
Country Belgium
CommunityFrench Community
RegionWallonia
ProvinceLuxembourg
ArrondissementVirton
Government
 • MayorFrançois Culot (IC-MR)
 • Governing party/iesIC-MR, Ecolo+, Ensemble Autrement
Area
 • Total95.63 km2 (36.92 sq mi)
Population
 (2018-01-01)[1]
 • Total11,323
 • Density120/km2 (310/sq mi)
Postal codes
6760-6762
NIS code
85045
Area codes063
Website(in French) virton.be

Virton (French pronunciation: [viʁ.tɔ̃] ⓘ; Gaumais: Viertån; Walloon: Vierton) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Luxembourg, Belgium. It is also the administrative centre of the district (arrondissement) of the same name, as well as the principal town of the small region of Belgian Lorraine known as the Gaume, famous for its microclimate.

The municipality consists of the following districts: Bleid, Ethe, Latour, Ruette, Saint-Mard, and Virton. Other population centers include: Chenois, Gomery, Grandcourt, and Saint-Remy.

History

Antiquity and Middle Ages

Historical affiliations

County of Chiny 1183–1364
Duchy of Luxembourg 1364–1795, part of:
  Burgundian Netherlands 1443–1482
  Habsburg Netherlands 1482–1556
  Spanish Netherlands 1556–1714
  Austrian Netherlands 1714–1794
French Republic 1795–1804
French Empire 1804–1815
Grand Duchy of Luxembourg 1815–1839
 Kingdom of Belgium 1839–present

Several archeological finds indicate that the area was already inhabited before the Romans built villas there and named the town Vertunum. In the early 5th century, the Romans had to flee the Germanic invasions. Their settlement was destroyed and rebuilt by the Franks somewhat north of its original site.

Virton was mentioned for the first time in Pope Lucius III's bull of 1183 as a fiefdom of the House of Chiny. As overlords of Virton, the Counts of Chiny could levy taxes (the tonlieu) on the various goods sold at the local market, which is attested as early as 1270. In 1441, the Duchy of Luxembourg was sold to Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy. From that date, Virton, like many other Walloon cities, became embroiled in more than two centuries of wars between France, Spain, and the Netherlands, with all the fighting, famine, epidemics (including plague), and economic disasters that ensued. The city fared better under the rule of Maria Theresa of Austria in the 18th century, thanks in part to the development of Lorraine's steel industry.

Modern times

The French Revolution shattered those advances. Virton had to wait until the departure of Napoleon in 1815 to see prosperous times again. Virton enthusiastically participated in the Belgian Revolution and even in the French Revolution of 1848. On August 22, 1914, at the onset of World War I, hundreds of inhabitants were summarily executed by the invading German army, while mass deportations occurred during World War II. Virton is now the centre of commerce and tourism for the Gaume region.

The town became an icon in Israeli sports history after Maccabi Tel Aviv defeated CSKA Moscow 91:79 in a European Basketball Champions' Cup game on 17 February 1977, in the town's sports arena. CSKA hosted the game in Virton due to lack of diplomatic relations between the USSR and Israel at the time. The victory is widely considered as pivotal in Maccabi's history, thus making the town's name widely known among Israeli sports fans.

Climate

Climate data for Virton
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 4.4
(39.9)		 6.0
(42.8)		 10.0
(50.0)		 13.5
(56.3)		 18.2
(64.8)		 21.0
(69.8)		 23.4
(74.1)		 23.3
(73.9)		 19.1
(66.4)		 13.9
(57.0)		 7.9
(46.2)		 5.3
(41.5)		 13.8
(56.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −0.8
(30.6)		 −1.2
(29.8)		 0.9
(33.6)		 2.5
(36.5)		 6.8
(44.2)		 9.9
(49.8)		 11.7
(53.1)		 11.2
(52.2)		 8.2
(46.8)		 5.4
(41.7)		 1.9
(35.4)		 0.3
(32.5)		 4.7
(40.5)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 101.0
(3.98)		 78.9
(3.11)		 86.7
(3.41)		 61.9
(2.44)		 78.8
(3.10)		 78.1
(3.07)		 76.7
(3.02)		 63.9
(2.52)		 78.2
(3.08)		 92.8
(3.65)		 95.1
(3.74)		 118.8
(4.68)		 1,010.9
(39.8)
Average precipitation days 14 11 13 10 12 11 10 9 10 12 13 15 140
Source: World Meteorological Organisation (UN)[2]

Sights

St Lawrence's church
  • The small hilly streets and colourful houses.
  • The church of St Lawrence, built between 1825 and 1830 with a classical façade.
  • Remnants of the medieval defensive wall.
  • Les Musées gaumais[3]

Folklore

  • The city's mascot is D'Jean d'Mady, a typical, joyful, and resourceful Gaume inhabitant who was allegedly born in one of the neighbouring villages in 1585.
  • Since 1935, Virton has owned two traditional giants who take part in the local festivities.

Canadian friendship

Virton, Florenville, and many other neighbouring villages were the homes of many Canadian families whose fathers/husbands were stationed nearby at RCAF Station No. 1 (F) Wing, in Marville, France. Prior to moving the base to Lahr, Germany, there were ceremonies in these towns and in Longuyon, France (Permanent Married Quarters), where the Canadians left three small 'thunderbird' totem poles. These totems are still there and were rededicated in September 2005 on the 50th anniversary of the opening of the base.

People born in Virton

Notes

  1. ↑ "Wettelijke Bevolking per gemeente op 1 januari 2018". Statbel. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  2. ↑ "World Weather Information Service – Virton". United Nations. Retrieved 19 January 2011.
  3. ↑ www.museesgaumais.be

References

  • Lambert G., Michel J., Petit A., and Vaulet P., "Histoire de Virton : des origines à l'an 2000" Ed. des musées gaumais, asbl Virton – 1998, cited in fr:Virton
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