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Verviers (French pronunciation: [vɛʁvje] (listen); Walloon: Vervî) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Liège, Belgium.

Verviers
Vervî (Walloon)
Municipality
Palais de Justice (courthouse)
Flag
Coat of arms
Location of Verviers
Verviers
Location in Belgium
Location of Verviers in the province of Liège
Coordinates: 50°35′N 05°51′E
CountryBelgium
CommunityFrench Community
RegionWallonia
ProvinceLiège
ArrondissementVerviers
Government
 • MayorMuriel Targnion (PS)
 • Governing party/iesPS-MR-Nouveau Verviers
Area
 • Total33.07 km2 (12.77 sq mi)
Population
 (2018-01-01)[1]
 • Total55,198
 • Density1,700/km2 (4,300/sq mi)
Postal codes
4800, 4801, 4802
Area codes087
Websitewww.verviers.be

The municipality consists of the following districts: Ensival, Heusy, Lambermont, Petit-Rechain, Stembert, and Verviers. It is also the center of an agglomeration that includes Dison and Pepinster, making it the second biggest in the province and an important regional center, located roughly halfway between Liège and the German border.

Water has played an important role in the town's economy, notably in the development first of its textile and later its tourist industries. As a result, many fountains have been built in Verviers, leading it to be named Wallonia's "Water Capital".[2] The seats of the two Walloon public institutions for water distribution and water treatment are located in the town.[2][3]


History



Early history


Various flint and bone fragments, as well as Roman coins, were found in this area, attesting to the early settlements in the region. In the 4th century, the Romans had to deal with a constant push of Germanic tribes coming from the east. Successful at first at containing them, they finally had to concede defeat, allowing Clovis's Salian Franks to occupy the region at the end of the 5th century. The Verviers area was covered with forests and became a hunting ground for the Merovingian kings, who maintained a vicus in neighbouring Theux. It was also slowly Christianized by the monks of the nearby Abbey of Stavelot.

Late in the 10th century, Charles the Simple ceded the Marquisate of Franchimont to Notker of Liège, one of Notker's final steps in consolidating the Prince-Bishopric of Liège. Liège took direct control of the marquisate in 1014, an act which was confirmed by emperor Frederick Barbarossa and by Pope Adrian IV in 1155.


15th century to the present


Film of US First Army headquarters with George Patton on 3 November 1944 in Verviers

The first mention of a textile industry in this area dates from the 15th century. One century later, the cloth industry took the place of the older metallurgical works, thanks in part to the Eighty Years War raging in the neighbouring Netherlands. The size of the town, however, remained relatively modest. It was only in 1651 that the expansion of the fulleries led to Verviers being recognized as one of the prince-bishopric's bonnes villes (main cities).

The end of the 18th century was troubled by the French Revolution. The annexation of Liège to France in 1795 caused a steep economic decline and unprecedented poverty. The city's fortunes rose again after the Battle of Waterloo (1815). Verviers was at the eastern end of the sillon industriel, the industrial backbone of Wallonia. Industrialist William Cockerill used British know-how to start a new era in Verviers' textile industry. Roads were paved, gas lighting was installed, and the city doubled in size thanks to the Industrial Revolution. After World War I, Verviers could share with Bradford the title of "Wool Capital of the World".


Economy


Verviers was home to a thriving wool and textile industry that was renowned for its quality and contributed greatly to the growth of the town. However, as of the 1950s, the local factories could not face international competition and started closing one after the other which prompted the economic decline of the town. The economy has been slowly recovering since the mid-1990s but remains fragile. Several commercial complexes have opened in recent years in an attempt to revitalize the most affected areas.


Sights


Center of Verviers
Center of Verviers

Notable people



Education



Tertiary education


Tertiary educational institutions include:[4]


Primary and secondary schools


Secondary schools include:[5]


Twin cities





See also



References


  1. "Wettelijke Bevolking per gemeente op 1 januari 2018". Statbel. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  2. "Verviers". 8 January 2016.
  3. "Verviers, capitale de l'eau – Portail de la Wallonie". wallonie.be.
  4. "Ecoles supérieures ." Verviers. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  5. "Ecoles secondaires ." Verviers. Retrieved 9 July 2017.


Wikimedia Commons has media related to Verviers.

На других языках

[de] Verviers

Verviers (deutsch veraltet Velwisch) ist eine Stadt im Osten Belgiens und liegt im Tal der Weser (frz.: Vesdre) in den nördlichen Ausläufern der Ardennen. Sie gehört zur Provinz Lüttich in der Wallonischen Region. Die deutsche Grenze ist nicht weit entfernt, bis Aachen sind es etwa 30 km. Verviers ist die Hauptstadt des gleichnamigen Bezirks, zu dem 29 Gemeinden gehören.
- [en] Verviers

[ru] Вервье

Вервье́ (фр. Verviers, валлон. Vervî) — город в Бельгии (Валлония), провинция Льеж.


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