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