Longwy
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Longwy (pronounced [lɔ̃wi] in French; German: Langich) is a town and commune located in the Meurthe-et-Moselle département in northeastern France. It belongs to the Arrondissement of Briey and is the administrative seat of the canton of Longwy. The inhabitants, known as Longoviciens, numbered 14,521 in 1999.
Longwy has historically been an industrial center of the Lorraine iron mining district. The town is known for its artistic glazed pottery. The Luxembourgish painter Jean-Baptiste Fresez (1800-1867) was born in Longwy.
[edit] History
Longwy initially belonged to Lotharingia. After the division of that kingdom, the town became part of Upper Lorraine and ultimately the Duchy of Bar. Longwy was ceded to the Duke Wenceslaus I of Luxembourg in 1368, but was returned to Bar in 1378. The Duchy of Bar was then annexed into the Duchy of Lorraine in 1480.
From 1648-1660 Longwy was part of the Kingdom of France, returning to the Duchy of Lorraine afterwards. It was made part of France again in 1670, a situation which was finalized in the Treaties of Nijmegen in 1678. Vauban fortified the town during the reign of King Louis XIV of France.
[edit] References
This article incorporates text translated from the corresponding German Wikipedia article as of January 22, 2007.
[edit] External links
- Town council website (French)