Mazères, Ariège

Mazères ( Occitan: Maseras ) is a commune with 3726 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2011 ) in the department of Ariège in the southern French region of Midi -Pyrenees.

Location

Mazères is (also Grand Hers ) about 18 km ( driving distance ) away to the north on the south bank of the river from Pamiers Hers - Vif. Saverdun, the capital of the canton is located about ten kilometers to the southwest.

Demographics

Economy

Mazères lived for centuries mainly from agricultural production of the surrounding villages and acted as their trade and service center. In the Middle Ages and the early modern period it has benefited from trade with woad (pastel ), whose main growing areas were in the neighboring Lauragais.

Since the 1970s, four industrial zones ( zones industrial ) were reported with a total area of ​​400 hectares on the outskirts of the city successively, in which various crafts and small industries have settled. This creates new jobs were created, which has had a positive impact on the population growth of the church.

History

In the field of Mazères Neolithic, Roman and early medieval finds were made, the city museum (see below) are issued. The foundation of the medieval Bastide goes back to a common act ( paréage ) of the Counts of Foix and the - just three kilometers south away -. Benedictine, from 1150 Cistercian Abbey Boulbonne from 1253 The abbey was in the Huguenot wars ( 1562-1598) completely destroyed. In the 14th century, built Gaston III. de Foix -Béarn (also called Gaston Phoebus ) a - also destroyed in the religious wars - castle in the outskirts of the present town. In the late 16th and early 17th century Mazères was a stronghold of Protestantism in southwestern France; this changed fundamentally after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes by Louis XIV (1685 ).

Attractions

• The Église Saint Abdon and Saint Sennen was rebuilt after the expulsion of the Protestants in the late 17th century and enlarged in the 18th and 19th centuries. The eight-sided tower dates back to 1830, the helmet peak from as late as 1885. The facade shows a Baroque structure with an interesting stone change ( brick and sandstone). The single and - as usual in the Midi - provided with several side chapels inside contains several articles of furniture of the ruined abbey Boulbonne - especially the altar and the choir stalls ( stalles ) are to be mentioned in this context.

• The immediately adjacent market hall ( hall ) was also built in the 19th century ( 1846-1850 ). The resting on brick pillars with arches wooden roof truss is remarkable.
• The surrounding square ( place de l' eglise ) is lined with several beautiful half-timbered houses ( maisons à colombages ) from different eras. The ground floor of most homes is downgraded, so that towards the square arcades dominate the picture.
• The Hôtel d' Ardouin dates from 1580 and is the former living quarters of an Pastelhändlers become rich. The whole building is built of brick, only the rectangular Renaissance windows with their mullions and the beautiful framing is light colored limestone. A spiral staircase ( vis) leads to a small lookout or guard tower ( échauguette ). Today the building serves as the municipal museum.
• The about three kilometers north- west of the village on a lake lying Domaine des Oiseaux is the bird protection and bird watching.