Mons vs Wassenaar

Informations

Mons (French pronunciation: ​[mɔ̃s]; Dutch: Bergen; German: Bergen; Picard: Mont; Walloon: Mont) is a Belgian city and municipality, and the capital of the province of Hainaut in the Walloon region. Mons was made into a fortified city by Count Baldwin IV of Hainaut in the 12th century. The population grew quickly, trade flourished, and several commercial buildings were erected near the Grand’Place. In 1814, King William I of the Netherlands increased the fortifications, following the fall of the First French Empire. The Industrial Revolution and coal mining made Mons a center of heavy industry. In 1830, Belgium gained its independence and the decision was made to dismantle the fortifications, allowing the creation of large boulevards and other urban projects.

On 23–24 August 1914, Mons was the location of the Battle of Mons. The British were forced to retreat and the town remained occupied by the Germans until its liberation by the Canadian Corps during the final days of the war. There are several memorial placards related to the WW1 battles. Today, the city is an important university town and commercial centre. The main square is the centre of the old city. It is paved in the manner of old cities and is home to many cafes and restaurants, as well as the town hall and belfry. It is forbidden to park in or drive through the centre. Together with the Czech city of Plzeň, Mons was the European Capital of Culture in 2015.

Source: Wikipedia

Informations

Wassenaar (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈʋɑsənaːr] (listen); population: 26,211 in 2019) is a municipality and town located in the province of South Holland, on the western coast of the Netherlands. An affluent suburb of The Hague, Wassenaar lies 10 km (6.2 mi) north of that city on the N44/A44 highway near the North Sea coast. It is part of the Haaglanden region and is part of the Rotterdam–The Hague metropolitan area.

The municipality covers an area of 62.40 km2 (24.09 sq mi), of which 11.29 km2 (4.36 sq mi) is covered by water. Wassenaar is home to some of the Netherlands' richest residential neighborhoods as well as the country's most expensive street, the Groot Haesebroekseweg.

Source: Wikipedia