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Lille

The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. | 2011 | Copyright

Lille , city (1990 pop. 178,301), capital of Nord dept., N France, near the Belgian border. With its central position in NW Europe, Lille became a great commercial, cultural, and manufacturing center, long known for its textile products—notably lisle (the name is derived from an older spelling of the city's name). Intense industrial expansion began in the 1960s, strengthened by the establishment (1967) of a metropolitan community uniting almost 90 towns with a total population of over 900,000. Steel, iron, metalworking, and chemicals were among the city's flourishing manufactures. By the 1990s, however, competiton from Southeast Asia and within Europe, including the former Eastern bloc, resulted in reduced production and high unemployment in the area.

Lille was the chief city of the county of Flanders, a brilliant residence of the 16th-century dukes of Burgundy, and (after 1668) the capital of French Flanders. Taken (1708) after a costly siege by Eugene of Savoy and the duke of Marlborough, it was restored to France in the Peace of Utrecht (1713). Among Lille's principal buildings are the huge citadel (17th cent.), one of the finest works of the French military engineer Vauban; the old stock exchange (17th cent.); several fine churches; and the unfinished cathedral (begun 1854). Lille has a large university, transferred there from Douai in 1808, and one of the most important art museums in Europe; its paintings include many of the best works of the Flemish, Dutch, French, and Spanish masters.

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Lille

World Encyclopedia | 2005 | Copyright

Lille (Flemish, Lisle) City in nw France, near the Belgian border; capital of Nord department. It flourished in the 16th century under the Dukes of Burgundy. In the late 17th century, Lille became capital of French Flanders; the building of a stock exchange established its commercial reputation. It is a major industrial, commercial, and cultural city. Industries: textiles, engineering, chemicals, brewing. Pop. (1999) 191,164.

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Lille

Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names | 2005 | | Copyright

Lille, Nord‐Pas‐de‐Calais/France Lisle Possibly taken from the Old French L'isle, modern L'Île ‘The Island’, which it was often called since it was founded in marshland. It became part of France in 1713 following the Treaty of Utrecht. It gave its name to ‘lisle’, a fine and smooth cotton thread invented here.

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JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Lille." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Lille." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O209-Lille.html

JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Lille." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. 2005. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O209-Lille.html

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Lille

Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes | 2007 | Copyright

Lille •allele, anele, anneal, appeal, Bastille, Beale, Castile, chenille, cochineal, cockatiel, conceal, congeal, creel, deal, eel, Emile, feel, freewheel, genteel, Guayaquil, heal, heel, he'll, keel, Kiel, kneel, leal, Lille, Lucille, manchineel, meal, misdeal, Neil, O'Neill, ordeal, peal, peel, reel, schlemiel, seal, seel, she'll, spiel, squeal, steal, steel, Steele, teal, underseal, veal, weal, we'll, wheel, zeal •airmobile • Dormobile • snowmobile •Popemobile • bookmobile •automobile • piecemeal •sweetmeal, wheatmeal •fishmeal • inchmeal • cornmeal •wholemeal • bonemeal • oatmeal •kriegspiel • bonspiel • Glockenspiel •newsreel • imbecile • Jugendstil •cartwheel • treadwheel • millwheel •pinwheel • flywheel • gearwheel •waterwheel

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Free newspaper and magazine articles

	Lille and the Dutch Revolt: Urban Stability in an Era of Revolution, 1500-1582. Magazine article from: Canadian Journal of History; 12/1/1993
	LUNCH? LET'S DO LILLE.. Dymphna Byrne visits the culture-packed French city... Newspaper article from: The Mail on Sunday (London, England); 1/25/2004
	Euralille: the instant city. (development within the Lille Grand Palais in... Magazine article from: The Architectural Review; 12/1/1994