Editing Arlon (section)

==History==

===Origins===
[[File:JupiterSäuleD replica Arlon787.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Gallo-Roman culture|Gallo-Roman]] column of [[Jupiter (god)|Jupiter]] in the Grand rue]]

Before the [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] conquests of [[Gaul]], the territory of Arlon and a vast area to the southeast were settled by the [[Treveri]], a [[Celts|Celtic]] tribe.  The local population adapted relatively easily to Roman culture.  The number and quality of sculpted stones and monuments that have been unearthed in the area demonstrate that the [[Vicus (Rome)|''vicus'']] of ''Orolaunum'' quickly became a commercial and administrative centre of Roman civilization.  The Germanic invasions of the 3rd century destroyed most of these early advances, despite the defensive walls that had been built on the Knipchen hill to protect the ''vicus''.

===Middle Ages===
During most of the [[Middle Ages]], the population still used the earlier buildings such as the ''[[thermae]]''.  In 1060, [[Waleran I of Limburg]], Count of [[County of Arlon|Arlon]], built a castle on the Knipchen hill in the centre of the town.

A dynasty of counts of Arlon began with Waleran I, Duke of Limburg. On the death of Duke Waleran III in 1226, Arlon passed to his son from the second marriage, Henry V the Fair, Count of Luxembourg, and became part of the county of Luxembourg. Thus, in the Tournament of Chauvency, his son Henry the Lion bore the title of Marquis of Arlon.

In the 13th century, the only women's [[Cistercians|Cistercian]] abbey known to date was built in [[Clairefontaine Abbey|Clairefontaine]].

===15th–18th centuries===
[[File:Arlon E1aJPG.jpg|thumb|St Donat's church, Arlon]]
{{See also|Battle of Arlon (1793)|Battle of Arlon (1794)}}

The [[History of Luxembourg|Duchy of Luxembourg]] itself, of which Arlon was dependent, became part of the [[Burgundian Netherlands]] under [[Philip the Good]] in 1441.  After [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles V]]'s abdication of his empire to his son [[Philip II of Spain]] in 1556, a troubled period started for the whole region with continuous wars involving France, Spain and the [[Southern Netherlands]]. In 1558, nearly half of the city, including its castle, was destroyed by the [[France|French]] troops of [[Francis, Duke of Guise]].

In the 17th century, [[Order of Friars Minor Capuchin|Capuchin]] friars built a convent on the ruins of the castle and the French strengthened the defensive walls according to [[Vauban]]'s designs. An accidental fire destroyed a large part of the city again in 1785.

On 9 June 1793 the [[French Revolution]]ary troops opposed the [[Austrian Empire|Austrians]] just outside Arlon. The French emerged victorious and took over the city from Austrian rule. They expelled the Capuchin friars and used their convent as a hospital.

===19th and 20th centuries===
In June 1815, after the defeat of [[Napoleon]] in the [[Battle of Waterloo]], Arlon went back to government of the Grand Duchy. By the [[Treaty of London, 1839|Treaty of London]] in 1839, the Grand Duchy became fully sovereign and in turn geographically larger western part of the duchy, i.e. the [[Luxembourg (province of Belgium)|province de Luxembourg]] including Arlon city was given to newly created Kingdom of Belgium.

Arlon was one of the first victims of the [[German Empire|German]] invasion in 1914 as 121 inhabitants were executed on 26 August, on the orders of Colonel [[Richard Karl von Tessmar]].

Its territory was again among the first to be invaded at the onset of [[World War II]]. Allies moved into Belgium on 10 May 1940 and Arlon was defended by French troops, but they were not able to stop the German invasion.

===Arlon today===
Being situated very close to the border with the [[Grand Duchy of Luxembourg]], Arlon has continued to expand with new residential areas and commercial development zones, and many people cross the border everyday to work in the Grand Duchy. All international express trains make a stop in Arlon, as it is the last station on the main Brussels—Luxembourg City railway line.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Larousse |first=Éditions |title=Arlon - LAROUSSE |url=https://www.larousse.fr/encyclopedie/ville/Arlon/98743 |access-date=2023-06-06 |website=www.larousse.fr |language=fr}}</ref>