Chimay
{{Short description|Municipality in Hainaut Province, Belgium}}
{{for-multi|the brewery|Chimay Brewery|the imaginary lake in early modern cartography|Lake Chimay}}
{{Infobox Belgium municipality
|name = Chimay
|native_name = {{native_name|wa|Chimai}}
|picture = Chimay.jpg
|picture-legend = Chimay: Grand Place
|map = Chimay Hainaut Belgium Map.svg
|map-legend = Location of Chimay in Hainaut
|arms = Blason ville be Chimay (Thuin).svg
|flag = Flag of Chimay.svg
|region = {{BE-REG-WAL}}
|community = {{BE-FR}}
|province = {{BE-PROV-HT}}
|arrondissement = Thuin
|nis = 56016
|pyramid-date=01/01/2006
|0-19=26.45
|20-64=56.95
|65=16.61
|foreigners=4.00
|foreigners-date=01/07/2005
|mayor = Denis Danvoye (cdH)
(CLE)
|majority = Construisons l'Avenir Ensemble (CLE)
|postal-codes = 6460, 6461, 6462, 6463, 6464
|telephone-area = 060
|web = [http://www.ville-de-chimay.be/ www.ville-de-chimay.be]
|coordinates = {{coord|50|03|N|04|19|E|region:BE|display=inline,title}}
}}
File:Belgique - Louvain-la-Neuve - Gare - Quai - Belgian beers - 02.jpg
Chimay ({{IPA|fr|ʃimɛ|-|LL-Q150 (fra)-Manestra-Chimay.wav}}, {{langx|wa|Chimai}}) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium.{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Chimay |volume=6 |page=164}} In 2006, Chimay had a population of 9,774. The area is 197.10 km2 which gives a population density of 50 inhabitants per km2. It is the source of the Oise River.
In the administrative district of Thuin, the municipality was created with a merger of 14 communes in 1977. The Trappist monastery of Scourmont Abbey in the town is famous for the Chimay Brewery.
Toponymy
The etymology of the name is ultimately, via Vulgar Latin, from the Proto-Celtic word koimos meaning "pretty, pleasant".
Subdivisions
The Walloon names of the place names are in brackets and italics.
Demographics
Attractions
- Chimay Castle, the château of the princes of Chimay
- Lake Virelles
- The source of the Oise
Chimay has traditionally hosted an annual motor racing event, run on a street circuit formed from local public roads. From the 1920s to 1960s the event was run for contemporary Grand Prix and sportscar categories, and included the famous Grand Prix des Frontières. In recent times, while the event has persisted it has been run for historic race series. The track briefly lost its licence in 2006 related to safety fears, but has since had it reinstated.
Image:Château Chimay 2.JPG|Chimay Castle
Image:Chimay Belgium town square.jpg|The central town square, Chimay
Image:Chimay CH1aJPG.jpg|Chimay Castle
Chimay Trappist beers and cheeses are produced in the town by the Chimay Brewery, run by the Trappist monks of Scourmont Abbey, and are internationally renowned.
Notable people
- Daniel van Buyten (b. 1978), football player
- Émile Coulonvaux (1892–1966), politician
- François Duval (b. 1980), rally car driver
- Jean Froissart (c.1337-c.1405), medieval historian
- Georges Hostelet (1875–1960), mathematician, philosopher, and sociologist
- François-Joseph-Philippe de Riquet (1771–1843), Prince of Chimay, and his wife Thérésa Tallien (1773–1835), French social figure
Twin cities/towns
- {{flagicon|UK}} Ramsgate, United Kingdom
- {{flagicon|France}} Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, France
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- [http://www.ville-de-chimay.be Official website]
- [http://www.uvcw.be/communes/ Chimay] at the Union of Cities and Municipalities of Wallonia
- [http://www.chimay.be chimay.be]
- [http://atheneeroyaldechimay.free.fr/ atheneeroyaldechimay.free.fr]
{{Geographic location
|Centre = Chimay
|N = Sivry-Rance, Froidchapelle
|S = Neuville-lez-Beaulieu (FR-08)
|SW = Signy-le-Petit (FR-08)
|W = Moustier-en-Fagne (FR-59)
Baives (FR-59)
Momignies
|NW = Eppe-Sauvage (FR-59)
}}
{{Hainaut}}
{{Authority control}}