Manosque
Manosque is a commune in the Alpes -de -Haute -Provence, Provence- Alpes- Côte d' Azur and Chef -lieu of three cantons with 22,316 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2011).
Geography
Manosque is located in the southwest of the department of Alpes- de -Haute -Provence on the right bank of the Durance. The city is located in the Luberon Regional Nature Park and borders the neighboring Regional Natural Park Verdon, with whom she is associated as a place of access.
History
The fact of the invasion and pillage of the city by the Saracens in the year 900 is the first surviving written testimony to the history of the city. However, little is known about the origin of the city a little more, which is known that they already existed in Roman times.
It seems that the town's name Celto - Ligurian from the root "man" of " mountain, hill " originates and people who live here mean the suffix " asq " "".
The first documented event mentioned in Manosque is the occupation of the city by the Saracens. During this time, the inhabitants fled to the five neighboring towns, among them " Le Château " on the Mont d' Or and " Toutes Aures - " on the homonymous hill are the most important.
In the Middle Ages Manosque was divided into four quarters: les Ebréards, le Palais, les Payans et les Martel.
The coat of arms of Manosque decorate four hands under the motto " Omnia in manu Dei sunt " ( Everything is in God's hands ).
Attractions
See also: List of Monuments historiques in Manosque
Surrounded by less beautiful modern industrial settlements old town has the shape of a pear and had originally four gates:
- Porte Saunerie ( Salt Gate ) in the south, Romanesque of 1382
- Porte Soubeyran whose tower was built in 1830 in the north of the 14th Century
- Porte Guillempierre in the West was destroyed and was recently reconstructed
- Porte d' Aubette destroyed in the East
The boulevards give the course of the former city wall again, of which a few remnants testify.
The old town of Manosque has two churches:
- The Romanesque church of Notre- Dame de Romigier with Renaissance portal is located at the Place de l' Hôtel de Ville
- The Saint-Sauveur church with a Gothic portal and a Romanesque nave from the 12th and 13th centuries
The residence of the writer Jean Giono Lou Parais located in the Montée des vraies Richesses.
Anecdote
On a visit to Francis I in Manosque in 1516 the daughter of the consul had to give him the keys to the city. The attention of the prince rested on her and alerted her modesty. Under the pretext to refresh her complexion, she disappeared and held her face in sulfur vapors. The king was so touched that he granted his favor and freedoms of the young woman and her family. Since then Manosque has the nickname " The modesty of ".
Others
About 20 km from the resort of Valensole.
Twinning
Sons and daughters of the town
- Marc- Antoine Laugier (1713-1769), Jesuit, historian, architectural theorist
- Adolphe Blanc (1828-1885), composer
- Jean Giono (1895-1970), writer
- Pierre Magnan (1922-2012), writer
- Jean -Michel Bayle (born 1969 ), motorcycle racer
- Hafsia Herzi (* 1987), actress