Barzy-en-Thiérache (, literally ''Barzy in

Thiérache The Thiérache (; Picard: ''Quiérache'') is a region of France and Belgium united by similar geography and architecture, including the presence of hedgerows, grassland, hilly terrain, scattered settlements, and traditionally-built stone or brick ...

'') is a commune in the department of

Aisne Aisne ( , ; ; ) is a French departments of France, department in the Hauts-de-France region of northern France. It is named after the river Aisne (river), Aisne. In 2020, it had a population of 529,374. Geography The department borders No ...

in the

Hauts-de-France Hauts-de-France (; ; ), also referred to in English as Upper France, is the northernmost region of France, created by the territorial reform of French regions in 2014, from a merger of Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Picardy. Its prefecture is Lille. ...

region of northern

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

Geography

Barzy-en-Thiérache is located some 40 km south by southeast of

Cambrai Cambrai (, ; ; ), formerly Cambray and historically in English Camerick or Camericke, is a city in the Nord department and in the Hauts-de-France region of France on the Scheldt river, which is known locally as the Escaut river. A sub-pref ...

and 40 km northeast of Saint-Quentin. The Route Nationale D1043 from Bergues-sur-Sambre to Le Nouvion-en-Thiérache passes through the southern tip of the commune but does not provide direct access. Access to the village and the commune is by road D261 running north-east from the D1043 continuing north-east as the D262. The D664 also runs north from the village to ''Le Rejet-du-Moulin''. The eastern border of the commune is also the border between

and

Nord Nord, a word meaning "north" in several European languages, may refer to: Acronyms * National Organization for Rare Disorders, an American nonprofit organization * New Orleans Recreation Department, New Orleans, Louisiana, US Film and televisi ...

departments. There are four hamlets in the commune other than the village: La Justice, Etreux, Mon Idee, and La Haie Long Pre. The rest of the commune is entirely farmland.Google Maps
/ref> The

Sambre The Sambre () is a river in northern France and in Wallonia, Belgium. It is a left-bank tributary of the Meuse, which it joins in the Wallonian capital Namur. The source of the Sambre is near Le Nouvion-en-Thiérache, in the Aisne department. ...

river runs from east to west through the commune and the village fed by the ''Ruisseau du Vivier Bare''. The Sambre river continues west to join the

Sambre–Oise Canal The Canal de la Sambre à l'Oise () is a canal in northern France. It forms a connection between the canalised river Sambre (Meuse basin) at Landrecies and the Oise (Seine basin) at La Fère. The canal is long, and has 38 locks. The junction ...

Neighbouring communes and villages

History

In 1153 the name of the village was ''Villa que dicitur Baisis''. It then became ''Barisis'' in 1227. The first name was given as ''Baisse'' for the neighborhood. The second name was ''Barri'' then became ''Barrié'' then ''Barrière''. This tends to demonstrate the frontier character of the village with the Sambre running through it. The part of the village north of the Sambre was under the stewardship of the Landrecy family (

County of Hainaut The County of Hainaut ( ; ; ; ), sometimes spelled Hainault, was a territorial lordship within the medieval Holy Roman Empire that straddled the present-day border of Belgium and France. Its most important towns included Mons, Belgium, Mons (), n ...

). The southern part of the village was under the stewardship of

Laon Laon () is a city in the Aisne Departments of France, department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. History Early history The Ancient Diocese of Laon, which rises a hundred metres above the otherwise flat Picardy plain, has always held s ...

and the lordship of Lesquielles (

Picardy Picardy (; Picard language, Picard and , , ) is a historical and cultural territory and a former regions of France, administrative region located in northern France. The first mentions of this province date back to the Middle Ages: it gained it ...

). In 1956 the name of the commune was ''Barzy'' which then changed to ''Barzy-en-Thiérache''. On 7

Thermidor Thermidor () was the eleventh month in the French Republican calendar. The month was named after the French word ''thermal'', derived from the Greek word ''thermos'' 'heat'. Thermidor was the second month of the summer quarter (''mois d'été ...

Year 2 (August 1794) the enemy invaded the village and there was one civilian casualty - Joseph Licking. Towards the end of the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, on 5 November 1918, the advance of French and British troops was stopped in a bloodbath 500 metres from the village (25 soldiers and 2 civilians were killed). On 6 November, after a violent French bombardment, the 73rd Infantry Regiment and the 59th Algerian Riflemen liberated the commune at 5.30am and released nearly a thousand inhabitants and refugees. For these events, the village was decorated with the

Croix de Guerre 1914-1918 Croix (French for "cross") may refer to: Belgium * Croix-lez-Rouveroy, a village in municipality of Estinnes in the province of Hainaut France * Croix, Nord, in the Nord department * Croix, Territoire de Belfort, in the Territoire de Belfort depa ...

Heraldry

Administration

List of Successive Mayors of Barzy-en-Thiérache

Population

Culture and heritage

Civil heritage

The commune has a number of buildings and structures that are registered as historical monuments: *A Farmhouse at Grand Rue 13 (1908) *A House at Grand Rue 14 (19th century) *A Farmhouse at Grand Rue 15 (1760) *A Farmhouse at Grand Rue 26 (18th century) *The Town Hall / School at Grand Rue 43 (1863) *A Farmhouse at Grand Rue 6 (1880) *The War memorial at Rue Neuve (1921) was the work of Coulon, a marble sculptor from Le Nouvion-en-Thiérache in 1920–1921. The monument mentions, in addition to the victims from the village, the participation of the Algerian Riflemen who died to liberate the commune. There is a second memorial in the cemetery with a difference of three names which could not be agreed. *A Farmhouse at 4 CD 26 de Pinon (19th century) *A Farmhouse at 3 Rue de Sart (19th century) *Houses and Farms (17th-20th centuries)

Religious heritage

The commune has several religious buildings and structures that are registered as historical monuments: *A Presbytery (1788) *An Oratory at Grand Rue (1724) *The Parish Church of the Assumption (1705). It was rebuilt in 1705 with an older

choir A choir ( ), also known as a chorale or chorus (from Latin ''chorus'', meaning 'a dance in a circle') is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform or in other words ...

. There is a grotto of Lourdes dating from the 20th century. The Church contains several items that are registered as historical objects: **The Furniture in the Church **A Ciborium (1819) **A Painting: The Assumption (19th century) **A Statue: Virgin and child (1724) **6

Stained glass Stained glass refers to coloured glass as a material or art and architectural works created from it. Although it is traditionally made in flat panels and used as windows, the creations of modern stained glass artists also include three-dimensio ...

windows (Bays 5 to 10) (1922) **4

windows (Bays 1 to 4) (1872)Ministry of Culture, Palissy File:Barzy-en-Thiérache (Aisne, Fr) église, chevet.jpg, The Church of the Assumption. File:Barzy-en-Thiérache (Aisne, Fr) grotte de Lourdes.jpg, Grotto of Lourdes. File:Barzy-en-Thiérache (Aisne, Fr) monument aux morts.jpg, The War Memorial. File:Barzy-en-Thiérache (Aisne, Fr) chapelle décorée.jpg, Decorated Chapel. File:Barzy-en-Thiérache (Aisne, Fr) chapelle lieu-dit Mon Idée.jpg, Chapel at the hamlet of Mon Idée. File:Barzy-en-Thiérache (Aisne, Fr) chapelle-niche au Pas-de-Vache.jpg, Niche chapel at Pas-de-Vache.