Tourcoing (Municipality, Nord, France)

Toerkonje

Last modified: 2004-04-17 by ivan sache
Keywords: nord | tourcoing | toerkonje | cross (black) | discs: 5 (yellow) |
Links: FOTW homepage | search | disclaimer and copyright | write us | mirrors

by Ivan Sache

Source: TV images

• Presentation of the city
• Description of the flag

See also:

• France
• Nord (Department, France)
• Tourcoing Lille Métropole (Volley-ball club)

Presentation of the city

The city of Tourcoing (Dutch, Toerkonje; 100,000 inhabitants, Tourquennois) is part of the Communauté Urbaine de Lille, formerly known as Lille-Roubaix-Tourcoing. Tourcoing is the capital city of wool industry in France (c.11,500 workers). One third of French carded wool is manufactured in Tourcoing, which is also renown for its carpet, clothing and hosiery factories. In the past, wool was carried in wheelbarrows, in French brouettes, and the inhabitants of the city were nicknamed broutteux.

The belltower (85 m) of the St. Christophe's Church hosts a peal of 49 bells. In 1971, a bell ringing class was opened in the Music Academy (Conservatoire) of Tourcoing.
Tourcoing is the birth city of the French musician Albert Roussel (1869-1937), who wrote several symphonies, symphonic poems (Evocations, 1911), ballet musics (Le Festin de l'Araignée, 1913, Bacchus et Ariane, 1931; Aeneas, 1935), orchestral suites (Suite en Fa, 1926), and opéra ballets (Padmavati, 1923). Roussel is one of the best French symphonists of the beginning of the XXth century. Before being a musician, h