CHARLEVILLE

charleville, a town of north-eastern france, in the department of ardennes, 151 m. n.e. of paris on the eastern railway. pop. (1906) 19,693. charleville is situated within a bend of the meuse on its left bank, opposite mezieres, with which it is united by a suspension bridge. the town was founded in 1606 by charles iii. (gonzaga), duke of nevers, afterwards duke of mantua, and is laid out on a uniform plan. its central and most interesting portion is the place ducale, a large square surrounded by old houses with high-pitched roofs, the porches being arranged so as to form a continuous arcade; in the centre there is a fountain surmounted by a statue of the duke charles. a handsome church in the romanesque style and the other public buildings date from the 19th century. an old mill, standing on the bank of the river, dates from the early years of the town's existence. on the right bank of the meuse is mont olympe, with the ruins of a fortress dismantled under louis xiv. charleville, which shares with mezieres the administrative institutions of the department of ardennes, has tribunals of first instance and of commerce, a chamber of commerce, a board of trade-arbitrators and lycees and training colleges for both sexes. its chief industries are metal-founding and the manufacture of nails, anvils, tools and other iron goods, and brush-making; leather-working and sugar-refining, and the making of bricks and clay pipes are also carried on.