Take a tour of the beautiful. lila, city ââlocated in the northeast of France. It is a charming place with numerous attractions of historical value and multiple and diverse museums to enrich your cultural experience. In addition to Lille, there are several interesting cities in northern France from a historical, artistic and cultural point of view, such as neighboring Roubaix, Saint Omer and Dunkirk. Let's now look at some of the must-see destinations.
A trip to Lille: cradle of French history
It is impossible to cover the entire history of Lille; but it is necessary to remember some traces of the glorious past of northern France. Right here the great sovereign Louis XIV had a beautiful architectural complex built today guarded by the army. We talk about the citadel of Lille, the citadel built by the enlightened sovereign to celebrate his conquest. The place where it is located is picturesque: a canal delimits the space of the beautiful park that houses the citadel, the largest in the city.
Lille is home to numerous places of worship, each of which is worth a thorough visit. First of all, the church of San Mauricio, built from the 14th century in the characteristic Gothic style and expanded in the following centuries. From the outside you will be struck by the aura of majesty that it emanates, like many of the monuments in this city. Inside you will find some works from the 17th and 18th centuries and the chapel of Saint Barbara, patron saint of the armed men who defended the city throughout the centuries.
Don't limit yourself to the beautiful old town; Visit the streets and buildings of new Lille, such as the Euralille district. Here you will be surrounded by inclined buildings, "naturalistic" houses, well-kept gardens where you can relax, especially in the spring and summer seasons, and bars and shops to experience the rhythm and style of the European metropolis.
Roubaix, culture and churches
16 kilometers from Lille is the beautiful city of Roubaix which together with Lille, Villeneuve d'Ascq and Tourcoing form the metropolis of Lille. The industrial past of this city is great. In fact, at the time of the Industrial Revolution, the city became a large city. center of the textile sector from France. The memory of the important industrialist has been manifested in a museum that tells his story. The André Diligent Museum of Art and Industry houses important collections on the secondary sector of this city in France.
Then visit the beautiful St. Martin's Church. It has ancient origins, in fact it was built in the 1878th century, in the middle of the Middle Ages. The tall tower was built in the XNUMXth century and the reconstruction of the neo-Gothic style façade dates back to recent times. Another sacred place to admire is undoubtedly the church of San José. In XNUMX it was built in brick, giving life to a church with simple and sober exteriors. However, the show begins as soon as you enter: the whirlwind of colors from the frescoes on the walls, as well as those from each vault, will leave you speechless.
The imposing Saint Omer
You can decide to visit another city first, even if it is further away. Saint Omer is located more than 60 kilometers from Lille. Visit here Notre Dame Cathedral, a splendid example of 103th century Gothic that will make you tremble with its grandeur. It is structured in a cross plan with a length of 23 meters and reaches a summit of XNUMX meters high.
The white that prevails on the entire exterior surface (except the black of the roof that characterizes French buildings) also colors the architectural finishes of the upper part, so detailed and refined that they make this structure one of the most beautiful in the city. But another treasure worthy of Saint Omer is the beautiful 18th century organ contained within. We hope you find a moment when liturgical music comes to life with this gem.
Dunkirk: cradle of 20th century war
Traveling from Lille towards the northern coast of France and the English Channel (approximately 80 kilometers), visit the famous city of Dunkirk. The event that marked the history of these areas is narrated by the great director Christopher Nolan (titled âDunkirkâ): the film narrates the episode that occurred at the beginning of the Second World War in which between May and June 1940 the Allies were saved. of the German attack. The well-known "Operation Dynamo" is also told in the Dunkirk Museum, near the port, where films related to those hot days in history and objects such as maps and weapons used at the time will make you relive that episode.
By size, the port of Dunkirk It ranks third in France (after Marseille and Le Havre). Visit the important Museum of Fine Arts in this place, a jewel of northern France. In addition to works of art from antiquity, there are exhibitions of modern and contemporary art and, in addition, those interested in topics related to nature are recommended to visit the basement with its natural history gallery.
