Binche

Binche
Municipality

Binche, the old city and its surrounding wall

Flag
Coat of arms
Binche

Location in Belgium

Coordinates: 50°24′N 04°10′E / 50.400°N 4.167°E / 50.400; 4.167Coordinates: 50°24′N 04°10′E / 50.400°N 4.167°E / 50.400; 4.167
Country Belgium
Community French Community
Region Wallonia
Province Hainaut
Arrondissement Thuin
Government
 • Mayor Laurent Devin (PS)
 • Governing party/ies PS, MR
Area
 • Total 60.66 km2 (23.42 sq mi)
Population (1 January 2016)[1]
 • Total 33,445
 • Density 550/km2 (1,400/sq mi)
Postal codes 7130, 7131, 7133, 7134
Area codes 064
Website www.binche.be

Binche (French pronunciation: ​[bɛ̃ʃ]) is a Walloon municipality in the Belgian province of Hainaut.[2] On January 1, 2006, Binche had a total population of 32,409. The total area is 60.66 km² which gives a population density of 534 inhabitants per km². Since 1977, the municipality of Binche has gathered the town of Binche itself with seven old municipalities : Bray, Buvrinnes, Epinois, Leval-Trahegnies, Péronnes-lez-Binche, Ressaix and Waudrez.

The motto of the city is "Plus Oultre" (meaning "Further" in Old French), which was the motto of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, who in 1545 gave the medieval Castle of Binche to his sister, Queen Mary of Hungary. She lavished attention on Binche, which she had rebuilt under the direction of an architect-sculptor Jacques du Broeucq, remembered today as the first master of Giambologna. The château, intended to rival Fontainebleau, was destroyed by the soldiers of Henry II of France in 1554.

In 2003, the Carnival of Binche was proclaimed one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

The gilles wearing their hat with ostrich feathers.

Notable people

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Population per municipality as of 1 January 2016 (XLS; 397 KB)
  2. ↑ Also spelt Binch in some English sources.

External links

 La Louvière Morlanwelz
Mons
Estinnes		 Anderlues
   Binche  
Merbes-le-Château Lobbes
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