La Rochefoucauld (Charente)

La Rochefoucauld is a southwestern French village with 2923 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2011 ) in the department of Charente in the south-east of Poitou -Charentes region.

Location

Place and the Castle of La Rochefoucauld at a height of about 80 meters above sea level. inst the river Tardoire in the cultural landscape of the Angoumois, the center of the town Angoulême, only about 20 km ( driving distance ) is located in a south-westerly direction. The places worth seeing Cherves- Châtelars and Agris lie just a few kilometers north-west or north of La Rochefoucauld; Montbron is located about 12 kilometers southeast.

Demographics

In the first census in France in 1793, the city had 2,375 inhabitants; End of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, there were just under 3,000.

Economy

In the Middle Ages acted the place as a regional trade and craft center for agriculturally-oriented places in the area; next grain wine was grown here since Roman or Gallo- Roman period, however served primarily of self-sufficiency. From the 16th to the 18th century Safrankrokusse were planted in the area. Riverside, there were some tanneries ( tanneries ), which gradually disappeared in the 19th century - it is textile mills were near the river down. La Rochefoucauld is now at the extreme eastern edge of the vineyards of Cognac and is one of the Bons Bois. Outside the town is a commercial area; the town itself is dominated by small craft ( bakers, butchers, etc.) and retail ( textiles, household goods, etc.).

History

The rock ( roche ) on the western shore of the Tardoire on which the first castle was built already in the 10th century, gave the place its original name ' La Roche '; the first name of the first known family of the lords of ' La Roche ', Foucauld I (c. 978-1047 ), was later added to the place name. Three districts ( Bourg- Budeau, Saint- Florent and the resultant in the 14th century quarter around the Collegiate ) were combined in 1310 under Guy VII of La Rochefoucauld to the present site.

Attractions

Castle of La Rochefoucauld

Other

• The vierbogige bridge over the Tardoire dates from the 15th century and connects the castle and situated on the east bank of the river location. It was recorded in 1935 in the list of Monuments historiques.
• At the Gothic Collegiate Church of Notre -Dame-de - l'Assomption -et -Saint- Cybard was built from the 13th to the 19th century. The tower and the late Gothic rose window in the Flamboyant style were completed in the 14th century. The nave interior is covered by a ribbed vault; the great fünfbahnige late Gothic windows of the flat chorus circuit also deserves attention. In the religious conflicts between Catholics and Protestants in the second half of the 16th century, the church was partially destroyed, so that he had to be restored in the years 1588-1620. In the time of the French Revolution parts of the equipment ( stalls, images, ritual objects ) were destroyed and the church served briefly ( 1794) to the cult of the Supreme Being. Only the agreement between Napoleon and Pope Pius VII Concordat of 1801 introduced the free exercise of religion in France restored. Around the church - often directly attached to these - are grouped the houses of the canons. The church was recognized in 1909 as a monument historique.

• The Order of the Carmelites had already in 1329 in La Rochefoucauld down. The present convent building ( Couvent des Carmes ) and the church were the 14th and 15th century - built - ie in the late Gothic period; the slender octagonal stair tower followed probably the beginning of the 16th century. The building suffered greatly in the religious turmoil of the 16th century and were revived only at the beginning of the 17th century. The church occupies the southern side of the cloister; in the years 1883-1886 East and West wings were renewed. Built on the foundations of the north wing suggests that an older building must have stood before the foundation of the order at this point. The monastery buildings were also recognized in 1909 as a monument historique; the church followed in 2001.
• In the town itself yet there are several historically interesting buildings - including the former hospital chapel ( 17th century), the grain Halle ( Halle aux Grains ) from the 19th century, a half-timbered house (16th century) and the entablature of the market hall (17. , and 20th century).

Former Corn Exchange

Half-timbered house

Covered market

• The Romanesque church of Saint -Étienne of Olérat ( Église d' Olérat ) is about a kilometer south of the town center of La Rochefoucauld and is privately owned. Interesting and unusual are the largely unadorned western facade of the church with an Agnus Dei in the central diamond-shaped mandorla, and the two - framed by beautiful profiled semi -circular arches - extremely twisted lateral accompanying figures ( winged bull = Evangelist Luke and winged lion = Mark the Evangelist ); the other two Evangelists ( ' angel ' = Evangelist Matthew and Adler = John the Evangelist ) are located in two smaller fields relief about it. The façade was recognized in 1942 as a monument historique.

Personalities

• François de La Rochefoucauld (1613-1680), writer and philosophical aphorisms
• Jean Hérault de Gourville (1625-1703), politician and writer ( memoir )
• Sébastien Charpentier (born 1973 ), motorcycle racer

Twinning

• Birkenau, Odenwald, Germany

The partnership has existed since 1977. A year earlier, the Langenberg school Birkenau the first student exchange with the College Jean Rostant in La Rochefoucauld. Hence the partnership between the two communities, which was then sealed developed in 1978.