*** Welcome to piglix ***

Heristal

Herstal
Municipality
Herstal w.jpg
Herstal is located in Belgium
Herstal
Herstal
Location in Belgium
Coordinates: 50°40′N 05°38′E / 50.667°N 5.633°E / 50.667; 5.633Coordinates: 50°40′N 05°38′E / 50.667°N 5.633°E / 50.667; 5.633
Country Belgium
Community French Community
Region Wallonia
Province Liège
Arrondissement Liège
Government
 • Mayor Frédéric Daerden (PS)
 • Governing party/ies PS, E.P.H.
Area
 • Total 23.54 km2 (9.09 sq mi)
Population (1 January 2016)
 • Total 39,617
 • Density 1,700/km2 (4,400/sq mi)
Postal codes 4040-4042
Area codes 04
Website www.herstal.be

Herstal, formerly known as Heristal, or Héristal, is a municipality of Belgium. It lies in the country's Walloon Region and Province of Liège along the Meuse river. Herstal is included in the "Greater Liège" agglomeration, which counts about 600,000 inhabitants.

Herstal municipality includes the former communes of Milmort, Vottem, and Liers (partly, the other part being incorporated into Juprelle). A large armaments factory, the Fabrique Nationale or FN, and the biggest industrial zone of Wallonia (Haut-Sart) provide employment locally.

The proximity of the Meuse River and the abundance of local resources attracted settlers in this area since the fifth millennium BC. Around the end of the Roman era and at the beginning of the Merovingian period, the hamlet had become a fortified stronghold, then known as Héristal. The major road that linked Tongeren to Aachen crossed the Meuse here, where a ferry likely carried travelers to Jupille.

In the 7th century, Héristal gave its name to the founder of the family that established the Carolingian dynasty. Pippin, lord of Héristal, the powerful Mayor of the Palace of Austrasia and of Neustria under Merovingian king Theuderic III, probably chose this location as his main residence because of its proximity to the major cities of Tongeren, Maastricht, and Liège. Pippin was the father of Charles of Héristal, victor of the decisive Battle of Tours that stopped the Arab-Muslim advance into northwestern Europe, earning him the nickname Martellus (“hammer”). Charles, in turn, was the grandfather of Charlemagne, also supposedly born in Héristal, where he lived for at least fifteen years. Charlemagne later established his capital in Aachen, ending Héristal’s period of medieval glory as capital of the empire.


...
Wikipedia

...