Rocroi

Rocroi
Coat of arms
Rocroi
Location within Champagne-Ardenne region Rocroi
Coordinates:
Country	France
Region	Alsace-Champagne-Ardenne-Lorraine
Department	Ardennes
Arrondissement	Charleville-Mézières
Canton	Rocroi
Government
• Mayor (2008–2014)	Michel Sobanska
Area1	50.41 km2 (19.46 sq mi)
Population (2008)2	2,386
• Density	47/km2 (120/sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	08367 / 08230
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. 2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Rocroi is a commune in the Ardennes department in northern France.

The center was a fortified city, the walls of which are in the shape of a stylised star.

Population

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1793	3,260	—
1800	2,846	−12.7%
1806	3,008	+5.7%
1821	3,501	+16.4%
1831	3,173	−9.4%
1836	3,232	+1.9%
1841	3,780	+17.0%
1846	3,590	−5.0%
1851	3,765	+4.9%
1866	2,998	−20.4%
1872	2,281	−23.9%
1876	2,381	+4.4%
1881	2,977	+25.0%
1886	3,172	+6.6%
1891	2,265	−28.6%
1896	2,193	−3.2%
1901	2,176	−0.8%
1906	2,116	−2.8%
1911	2,256	+6.6%
1921	2,127	−5.7%
1926	2,442	+14.8%
1931	2,436	−0.2%
1936	2,250	−7.6%
1946	1,969	−12.5%
1954	2,348	+19.2%
1962	2,870	+22.2%
1968	2,997	+4.4%
1975	2,911	−2.9%
1982	2,789	−4.2%
1990	2,555	−8.4%
1999	2,420	−5.3%
2008	2,386	−1.4%

History

Rocroi was fortified by Francis I of France and expanded by Henry II of France. Because of its strategic location in the north of France it changed hands a number of times during wars. It is best known for the Battle of Rocroi in 1643.

Rocroi seen from the air shows its defensive structure

See also

• Communes of the Ardennes department

References

• INSEE

External links

• Webpage about the fortifications of Rocroi