Dunkirk

Dunkirk

Understand The name Dunkirk comes from the Dutch language "Church of the Dunes". Dunkirk has the third-largest harbour in France, after those of Le Havre and Marseille. As an industrial city, it depends heavily on the steel, food processing, oil-refining, ship-building and chemical industries. History A fishing village arose late in the 10th century. About AD 960, Count Baldwin III had a town wall erected in order to protect the settlement against Viking raids. The surrounding wetlands were drained and cultivated by the monks of nearby Bergues Abbey. In the 14th century, trade flourished and the port and fortifications were significantly enlarged. In 1482, Dunkirk, along with the rest of Flanders, was incorporated into the Netherlands. The area remained much disputed between Spain, the Netherlands, England and France. It was ruled by each of these countries through the early 17th century, becoming a part of France in 1662. The French government developed the town as a fortified port. The town's existing defences were adapted to create ten bastions. The port was expanded in the 1670s…

Source: Wikivoyage · CC BY-SA 4.0.