(visited by Michel Deschuyteneer and Michèle Depret)

15-Aug-2000 -- The Geographic Center of the European Community.

We had just visited N50E05 when we heard a traffic report discouraging us to take the freeway back home. Looking for alternate routes, we realized that we were relatively close to a non-confluence geographic point of interest we might contribute to the DCP.

And so we visited the Geographic Center of the European Union. It is located near the French border just outside Oignies-en-Thiérache, a village of the Viroinval community. What we found there, at N50°00'23" E04°40'00", is a nice monument celebrating the European Community. At center is the likeness of a cathetral made of colored glass. it was created by Belgian artist, writer and master glass craftsman Bernard Tirtiaux in 1996. Circling the sculpture are 15 milestones, each pointing to the direction of the capital of a member state, with the name of the country and the year it joined the union. A few sculptures by various European artists complete the ensemble.

By the way, this is a temporary monument. When new countries join the EC in coming years, this particular spot will return to anonimity and a new place will be designated the center of the expanding European Community.