LilleLILLE
Lille, a leading industrial conurbation in northern France located 10 km (6 miles)
from the Belgian border, is the capital of the "Nord" department. The population of
the city is 168,424, while that of the entire metropolitan area is 1,012,000
(1982). A leading textile producer since the 11th century, Lille also produces
iron, steel, machinery, chemicals, and food products. A transportation hub
located on the canalized Deule River, Lille is connected by railroads and
highways with Belgium, with Paris and other major French cities, and with
nearby coalfields and coastal ports. The art museum is one of the best-known in
Europe; the University of Lille, originally established in 1896, was replaced
by three state universities in 1970. Many 15th-, 16th-, and 17th-century
buildings are located in the old city, including the Flemish-style Bourse
(stock exchange, begun in 1652), the citadel (begun 1668), and the Church of
St. Catherine. The existence of Lille was first documented in 1066. During the
Middle Ages, it was the chief city of the county of Flanders, but it
subsequently changed hands numerous times before 1713, when it became part of
France. It was occupied by Germany during both world wars.
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