Saint-Omer, ville d'art et d'histoire...
Les Monuments - Aéroclub de Saint-Omer - L'USSO
				Histories and sets architectural Not meeting between the Flanders and Artois, Saint-Omer offers, in the medium of water which surrounds it, the harmony of a urban landscape little touched by the great transformations of XIXe and XXe centuries. Memories of the monastic origins of the site, the cathedral Our-Lady and the vestiges of the old Saint-Bertin abbey announce the ends of the city. Between these two poles, connected by parallel arteries, spreads a remarkable whole of residences of XVIe in XVIIIe century.
Saint-Omer was born on an eminence isolated by the marshes. Entirely reserved for the monastic life until IXe century, the site urbanizes then thanks to intense trade facilitated by the installation of a coastal river, Aa. A succession of epidemics and conflicts start, starting from XVe century, the economic advancement of Saint-Omer who finds his religious vocation at the time of the catholic reconquest. Churches and convents, then barracks and residences middle-class cover the urban territory gradually, without modifying the medieval roadway system. The limits of Saint-Omer, reached as of 1200, are reinforced by Vauban during the fastening of the city to the kingdom of France. The introduction of the French modes upsets the systems of construction. The houses with pinion on street succeed of vast residences the roofs regularly aligned along broad arteries. Dismantling partial of the fortifications remains the principal urban transformation since the end of XIXe century.
		Religious districts: the religious buildings concentrate on the southern half of the city, dominated by the tower of the Gothic cathedral. The episcopal palate, high according to the plans of Jules-Hardouin-Mansart, and some canonic houses border the inputs of the enclosure Our-Lady. On the old processional way connecting the district cathédral to the ruins of the Saint-Bertin abbey, draws up the frontage baroque of the vault of the Jesuits. Bordered in the south by the old buildings of teaching, this vault of XVIIe century constitutes the strong time of this district of the colleges, equipped in addition with a seminar built out of yellow bricks. Employed with happiness until XIXe century, this material contributes to the merry harmony of the habitat audomarois of which the most beautiful examples are aligned along the principal arteries.
Commercial districts: more to north and near the cathedral, extends the place whose width points out the importance of the market, formerly supplied with products directly brought downtown by boats. In the east of the place, the Holy Sepulchre church announces a district at the modest origins, born from the activities related to the presence of water.
				Aa: arranged since the Average Age of Saint-Omer to Gravelines, this channeled coastal river formerly made it possible the boats to reach directly downtown. Near the old port, a district original, known as of the High-Bridge, preserves the memory of this intense harbour activity. Since 1958, the barges borrow the channel from large gauge located at the north of Saint-Omer.