Watten (north)
| Wadding | ||
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| region | Hauts-de-France | |
| Department | North | |
| Arrondissement | Dunkerque | |
| Canton | Wormhout | |
| Community association | Hauts de Flandre | |
| Coordinates | 50 ° 50 ′ N , 2 ° 13 ′ E | |
| height | 1-72 m | |
| surface | 7.32 km 2 | |
| Residents | 2,563 (January 1, 2017) | |
| Population density | 350 inhabitants / km 2 | |
| Post Code | 59143 | |
| INSEE code | 59647 | |
| Website | www.watten.fr | |
 Windmill in Watten |
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Watten ( NDL. : Calves ) is a French municipality with 2563 inhabitants (as of January 1 2017) in the department of Nord in the region of Hauts-de-France . It belongs to the arrondissement of Dunkerque and is part of the canton of Wormhout . The inhabitants are called Wattenais (es) .
geography
Watten lies on the river Aa and on the large shipping route Dunkirk-Scheldt , here on the Canal de la Haute Colme . The municipality is part of the Caps et Marais d'Opale Regional Nature Park .
Watten is surrounded by the neighboring communities of Millam in the north and north-east, Wulverdinghe in the east, Saint-Momelin in the south and south-east, Serques in the south and south-west, Houlle in the south-west, Éperlecques in the west and Holque in the north-west.
history
As a vaganum , the site was already an important strategic point for the Romans to pacify the Menapians. From the late 9th century onwards, the Normans invaded and destroyed the settlement at that time. In 1072 the abbey near Watten was founded.
During the Second World War , the 3rd Flak Regiment was stationed here.
| Population development in Wadden | |
|---|---|
| year | Residents |
| 1962 | 3100 |
| 1968 | 3005 |
| 1975 | 2819 |
| 1982 | 3235 |
| 1990 | 3030 |
| 1999 | 2925 |
| 2006 | 2730 |
| 2011 | 2568 |
| 2016 | 2561 |
Attractions
See also: List of Monuments historiques in Watten (North)
- Remains of the Notre-Dame du Mont Abbey, founded in the 11th century, destroyed in the 16th century, the tower (72 meters) is still preserved, monument historique since 1909
- Saint-Gilles Church, Monument historique
- Windmill, Monument historique
- Former fortifications of Fort Watten
- Éperlecques log cabin , bunker on the border with the neighboring municipality of Éperlecques
Personalities
- Dietrich von Alsace (1099 / 1101–1168), Count of Flanders, is buried in the old abbey
literature
- Le Patrimoine des Communes du Nord. Flohic Editions, Volume 1, Paris 2001, ISBN 2-84234-119-8 , pp. 343-345.
