Valenciennes and its surrounding area boast a rich historical heritage. Come and discover what characterizes them and why we organize events here.
The Athens of the North
Valenciennes is the French city with the most statues per square kilometer, which is why it’s nicknamed the Athens of the North. It boasts some 85 open-air statues, which can be discovered throughout the city.
It is the birthplace of many artists, including Antoine Watteau. He is a major figure in art history, known for his invention of the “fêtes galantes”, a unique genre combining drama, poetry and melancholy.
He is renowned for his keen sense of observation and his expression of the fragility and transience of love and life. He painted L’Embarquement pour Cythère and embodied an artistic transition between the austerity of Louis XIV and the elegant dreams of the 18th century.
At the heart of industrial heritage
In 1720, miners from the Nord region discovered the first coal seam at Fresnes, near Valenciennes. This discovery marked the beginning of industrialization in the region, with the creation of the Anzin company.
The discovery transformed the region’s landscape and economy, leading to rapid industrialization and spectacular population growth. The Bassin minier du Nord, a vast underground deposit unique in Europe, stretches over 120 kilometers and left a lasting mark on the history of Fresnes, where 46 shafts were mined until 1947.
Since 2012, this area has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is famous for its heritage, with emblematic pits, slag heaps, corons and infrastructure.
The Valenciennois region has preserved the vestiges of this industrialization, with the Château de l’Hermitage, the Ledoux chevalement and many others to discover during a team building event.
A devastating fire
During the Second World War, the people of Valenciennes took to the streets. Meanwhile, on May 22, 1940, a 14-day fire destroyed some of the city’s finest heritage. 12% of the town’s buildings were destroyed, including many public buildings: the town hall and its museum, the 18th-century municipal theater and its interior decoration by Lucien Jonas, the Gustave Crauck museum, the octroi office, the gendarmerie, the prison and the fish market.
During the Great War, almost 90% of the town was destroyed. After many years of reconstruction, the town has preserved its identity and heritage. The town hall was one of the first buildings to be rebuilt. In the Middle Ages, it testified to the city’s economic and administrative importance, and is now the center of the city’s public and cultural life.
Valenciennes and the Hainaut region are full of surprises. Come and discover them at an event organized at the Cité des Congrès Valenciennes.