Doullens

Doullens is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France.

Doullens
Commune
The town hall in Doullens
Coat of arms
Location of Doullens
Doullens
Doullens
Coordinates: 50°09′27″N 2°20′29″E
CountryFrance
RegionHauts-de-France
DepartmentSomme
ArrondissementAmiens
CantonDoullens
IntercommunalityCC Territoire Nord Picardie
Government
 • Mayor (2001–2015) Christian Vlaeminck
Area
1
33.4 km2 (12.9 sq mi)
Population
 (2017-01-01)[1]
6,106
 • Density180/km2 (470/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
80253 /80600
Elevation52–152 m (171–499 ft)
(avg. 64 m or 210 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Its inhabitants are called Doullennais and Doullennaises.[2]

Geography

Doullens is situated on the N25 road, in the northern part of the department, straddling the river Authie, the border with the Pas-de-Calais. Doullens is practically mid-way on the intersection of these axes :

History
  • Doullens, the ancient Dulincum, was seat of a viscountship under the counts of Vermandois then of Ponthieu (Hare) and an important stronghold in the Middle Ages.[3]
  • In 1225, the town became part of France.
  • In 1475 it was burnt by Louis XI for openly siding with the Duke of Burgundy.[3] It received its name Doullens-le-Hardi from its gallant defense in 1523 against the Anglo-Burgundian army.
  • In 1595 it was besieged and occupied by the Spaniards, who massacred the entire population. It was restored to France by the Peace of Vervins (1598).[3]
  • On 26 March 1918, orders giving General Foch overall command of the allied forces on the western front were signed in a room in the town hall. A link to those orders can be found in the May 22, 1928 edition of 'The Times' of London, found here.

Sites and monuments

Sites and monuments include:

  • the ruins of Saint-Pierre, partly of the 13th century, used as a barn in the nineteenth century (Hare).
  • Notre-Dame church.
  • the early 17th century brick belfry.
  • the citadel, possibly built by Vauban or Jean Errard, which has often served as a state prison, and later, a reformatory for girls.

Town motto

Infinita decus lilia mihi prestant

Population
Historical population of Doullens
Year1936194619541962196819751982199019992006
Population5770540461696321711974957054661562796820
From the year 1962 on: No double counting—residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) are counted only once.

Notable residents
  • Church of St-Pierre
  • Notre-Dame church
  • Belfry and Tourist office
  • Interior of the Citadelle
  • Notre-Dame church seen from the Citadelle
  • Doullens belfry, in the 19th century
  • Information placard of the Citadelle
  • Summer Carnival in Doullens (2009)

See also

References
  1. "Populations légales 2017". INSEE. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  2. "Annuaire-Mairie"
  3.  One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Doullens". Encyclopædia Britannica. 8 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 449.
  4. Bellier de La Chavignerie, Émile and Auvray, Louis (1885). Dictionnaire général des artistes de l'École française depuis l'origine des arts du dessin jusqu'à nos jours, Vol. 2, p. 588. Librairie Renouard (in French)
  5. D'Harmonville, A. (ed.) (1845). Dictionnaire des dates, des faits, des lieux et des hommes historiques, Vol. 2, p. 255. Alphonse Levavasseur et Cie (in French)
  6. Assemblée nationale de France."Emmanuel, Marie, Michel, Philippe Fréteau de Saint-Just" Retrieved 15 May 2017 (in French)
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