Mons

Mons (Flemish, Bergen), city in south-west Belgium, capital of the province of Hainaut near Brussels. Mons is a processing and distributing centre of the Borinage coal-mining district. Coke, chemicals, cloth, and lace are manufactured in the city. The Gothic cathedral here dates from the 15th century. Mons is the seat of two universities.

The city originated as a Roman stronghold. In 804 it was made capital of the county of Hainaut by Charlemagne. A cloth market was established there in the 14th century. Between 1691 and 1830, when it became part of the kingdom of Belgium, Mons came under the rule of France, Austria, and the Netherlands. On August 23, 1914, Mons was the scene of the first battle between the British and the Germans during World War I. The outnumbered British were forced to retreat. The Neolithic flint mines at Spiennes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000, are located nearby. Population 90,984 (2006 estimate).