Mons is the former capital of the Counts of Hainaut and the chief town of the Province of Hainaut. The population of the city of Mons is 95 300 inhabitants and 258,000 inhabitants for the whole commune. The city of Mons is located at the crossroads of important roads the Amsterdam-Paris and Lille-Liège motorways). Named the cultural capital of Wallonia, the city of Mons has an important architectural and cultural heritage. Mons was also designated as European Capital of Culture in 2015 and has hosted a huge number of artists and installations in its midst. Mons is also a university town. The oldest university in the city is the Faculté Polytechnique de Mons, founded in 1836. The Grand-Place of Mons is the centre of the old town. It is located near the pedestrian shopping street and the belfry. It is made of cobblestones, and cars have to drive around it. The folklore of the city is especially known by the ducasse of Mons, called the Doudou. The festivities are marked by the re-enacted fight of Saint-Georges against the dragon.