Buildings in Grande Place, Arras, France floodlit at night
Arras is the capital of the Pas-de-Calais department. It is part of the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region, France’s fourth most populous region. It is located in Northern France on the Scarpe river. The Arras plain lies on a large chalk plateau bordered on the north by the Marqueffles fault, on the southwest by the Artois and Ternois hills, and on the south by the slopes of Beaufort-Blavincourt. On the east it is connected to the Scarpe valley. Established during the Iron Age by the Gauls, the city of Arras was first known as Nemetocenna, which is believed to have originated from the Celtic word nemeton, meaning 'sacred space'. The first mention of the name Arras appeared in the 12th century. Some hypothesize it is a contraction of Atrebates, a Belgic tribe of Gaul and Britain that used to inhabit the area. The name Atrebates could have successively evolved to become Atrades, Atradis, Aras and finally Arras. Others believe it comes from the Celtic word Ar, meaning 'running water', as the Scarpe river flows through Arras. The city of Arras is well known for its architecture, culture and history. It was once part of the Spanish Netherlands, a portion of the Low Countries controlled by Spain from 1556 to 1714. Arras is Pas-de-Calais’ third most populous city after Calais and Boulogne-sur-Mer. The most famous attractions include: the visit of the Town Hall, the ascent of the Belfry (listed as an UNESCO World Heritage Site since 15 July 2005), The "Boves" (a maze 10 meters beneath the city), the Squares (La Place des Héros and La Grand'Place), the Art District (the Theatre of Arras and the Hôtel de Guînes), the Abbey District (The Saint-Vaast Abbey and the Cathedral of Arras), the Vauban Citadel, and the Nemetacum site (the ancient town founded by the Romans 2,000 years ago).[
Size: 3803px × 3021px
Location: Grande Place, Arras, France
Photo credit: © Niall Ferguson / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: arras, buildings, floodlights, floodlit, france, grande, medieval, night, nocturnal, pas-de-calais, place
