Virton

Virton
Municipality
The town hall
Flag Coat of arms
Virton Location in Belgium
Location of Virton in Luxembourg province
Coordinates: 49°34.05′N 05°31.95′E / 49.56750°N 5.53250°ECoordinates: 49°34.05′N 05°31.95′E / 49.56750°N 5.53250°E
Country	Belgium
Community	French Community
Region	Wallonia
Province	Luxembourg
Arrondissement	Virton
Government
• Mayor	François Culot (IC-MR)
• Governing party/ies	CDH, PS
Area
• Total	94.49 km^2 (36.48 sq mi)
Population (1 January 2016)[1]
• Total	11,389
• Density	120/km^2 (310/sq mi)
Postal codes	6760-6762
Area codes	063
Website	(French) virton.be

Virton (French pronunciation: ​[viʁ.tɔ̃]) is a Walloon municipality (French: commune) located in the Belgian province of Luxembourg. 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 sub-municipalities: Virton proper, Bleid, Ethe, Latour, Ruette, and Saint-Mard. Other population centers include: Chenois, Gomery, Grandcourt, and Saint-Remy.

History

Antiquity and Middle Ages

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.

St Lawrence's church, Virton

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
Average high °C (°F)	4.4 (39.9)	6.0 (42.8)	10.0 (50)	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)	7.9 (46.2)	5.3 (41.5)	13.83 (56.89)
Average low °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)	4.73 (40.52)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	101.0 (3.976)	78.9 (3.106)	86.7 (3.413)	61.9 (2.437)	78.8 (3.102)	78.1 (3.075)	76.7 (3.02)	63.9 (2.516)	78.2 (3.079)	92.8 (3.654)	95.1 (3.744)	118.8 (4.677)	1,010.9 (39.799)
Average precipitation days	14	11	13	10	12	11	10	9	10	12	13	15	140
Source: World Meteorological Organisation (UN)[2]

Sights

• 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 owns 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

• Maximilian Anton Karl, Count Baillet de Latour (1737–1806), Austrian military
• Benoît Mariage, film director (born 1961)

Notes

1. Population per municipality as of 1 January 2016 (XLS; 397 KB)
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

External links

• Official website
• Official Gaume site (in French, Dutch, German, and English)
• Alternative Gaume site (in French and Dutch)