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Home > Travel France > France Destinations > Arras
Arras
France, officially the French Republic, is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in Western Europe and comprises various overseas islands and territories which are located in other regions. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean. At 674,843 square kilometers, France is the world's 40th-largest country after Myanmar. France is a member of The European Union and Paris is the capital of this nation. The sole official language of France is French. Since prehistoric times, France has been a crossroads of trade, migrations, and invasions.
Arras is a town and commune in northern France, capital of the Pas-de-Calais departement. It is one of northern France's historical Picardy region's cities, were the Picarde dialects are spoken. Originally settled by the Celtic tribe of the Atrebates, it later became a Roman garrison town known as Atrebatum.
Arras is located in the former Dutch and French province of Artois. For many centuries, Arras was on the border between France and the low countries and it frequently changed hands before firmly becoming French in the late 17th century, the fortifications upgraded by Vauban helping keep it in French hands. The town was closely linked to the trade of Flanders and later became an important centre for sugar beet farming and processing as well as a prosperous market centre.
The centre of the town is marked by two large squares. These are surrounded by buildings restored to the pre-war conditions. Most notable are the gothic town hall and the cathedral. The old cathedral of Arras, constructed between 1030 and 1396, and dedicated to St. Vaast, was one of the most beautiful gothic structures in northern France. It was destroyed during the French revolution.
Arras is also known as the town of best geographical environment and has traced its origins back to prehistoric times. Today, one can also learn about its history, from its earliest times and can also enjoy its natural beauty concealed by the beautiful landscapes.
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