Périgueux

Périgueux ( Occitan: Peiregús ) is a town in the French region of Aquitaine, and with 29,811 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2011) is the largest city in the Dordogne. The city is the seat of the prefecture of the department. The prefecture also manages the arrondissement of Périgueux, it consists of 18 cantons.

The river Isle crosses the city from east to west.

• 3.1 other people with ties to the city

History

Antiquity

The story of Périgueux begins with a settlement of the Celtic Petrocorier that was (52 BC) expanded by the Romans to a city with the name Vesunna after the conquest of Gaul. Vesunna was a not insignificant provincial town in the following centuries. According to tradition, the Holy Fronto worked here in Roman times as a missionary and bishop. The city at that time had an amphitheater with at least 10,000 seats and was completely surrounded by a city wall. Both buildings are still standing in ruins, the arena consists of only a few rubble wall within a park today and the Gallo-Roman city wall was mostly included in future residential development.

900 - 1500

Little is known about the fate of Vesunna at the time of the great migrations. A significant upturn experienced the place as a 900 on a hill on the right bank of the Isle - about 500 meters away - the local Holy Saint Front was buried. In his honor, a church was built, which soon became a place of pilgrimage. Around this church was a settlement that first bore the name of Puy -Saint-Front and grew much faster than the original settlement core. Significant for the pilgrim visits was also the location of the tomb of one of the main routes to Santiago de Compostela.

In the 11th century the church was in favor of the much larger domed church of St Front aborted. There was a Romanesque basilica with the plan of a Greek cross, whose four equal lengths ships, each with a dome were crowned. The crossing between the ships carrying a fifth, even larger dome. There is a huge for its time building that still surprised by its beautiful shape and its dimensions. At the same time received Puy -Saint-Front, a city wall, which was reinforced with 28 towers and defines an area that the entire previous neighborhood was home down to the Isle.

It was not until 1240 the two settlements to the city of Périgueux, the capital of the county of Périgord was united. The ancient Vesunna was henceforth known as "La Cité ", Puy -Saint-Front against " Le Bourg ". This was the first golden age of Périgueux: The navigable Isle was used to stimulate the exchange of goods with the environment, many goods were handled via the port of Bordeaux. At the same time Perigueux became an important garrison during the Hundred Years' War: Following the boundary between English and French territory was only about 50 miles south in about the course of the Dordogne. As standing armies in the Middle Ages were still uncommon, were monasteries and convents, but also the bourgeoisie required to accommodate migrating soldiers. Reminded today the Rue de l' Aubergerie in which some lofty houses are preserved from the 13th to the 15th century. In the 15th century Périgueux was then a new Walling, both the Cité and the Bourg enclosed now.

Modern Times

A second flowering experienced the city at the time of the Atlantic maritime trade, which in 1492 joined to the discovery of America. Bordeaux, now belonging again to France, could obtain a special position in the Atlantic slave trade between Europe, Africa and America, which Périgueux benefited sustainable. It originated magnificent villas in the Renaissance style that characterize the old city today. On the banks of the Isle residences were built for the resident consuls. Over the river port of goods were handled from the entire surrounding area - especially the wine that had a high reputation in the world.

The following centuries were a period of steady decline. The religious wars hit the region hard; the most skilled merchants and artisans, who had mostly joined the Reformation, left the country. The heavily destroyed Romanesque cathedral of St. Etienne could not be made entirely again; Therefore, the pilgrim church of St. Front in 1669 to the cathedral where ( St Front Cathedral ). As of the time of Louis XIV, the regional nobility finally lost its political importance, the economic and military priorities shifted to other regions, so that Périgueux strong forfeited important. The establishment of a prefecture for the newly created department Dordogne end of the 18th century did not change this bit.

19th century

An economic boost occurred in the second half of the 19th century, when the city was connected to the railway network, where one of the largest repair shops in France was built. During this time, the city walls were laid down and replaced by a boulevard; between historical center and the railway created new districts, a public park and avenues were created. The Cathedral St.Front, which was threatened by decay, has been completely renovated, with the commissioned architect Paul Abadie, however, partly of good did too much and the domes with historically incorrect columns and turrets crowned small figures to emphasize the Byzantine character of the building. Following the example of St. Front Abadie later established the Basilique du Sacré -Cœur Basilica in Paris. This brief period of economic prosperity ended with the total destruction of the wine cultures by phylloxera and several severe crises on markets for agricultural products around the turn of the century, was making the whole region a major economic base deprived and increasingly depopulated by emigration.

20th century

In the 20th century, Périgueux initially hardly developed. The only economic resettlement of importance was the stamp printing of the French government post, but the lack of an industrial base and poor transport links could not be undone. It was only in the 70s came back movement in the city: The entire old town was declared a national cultural heritage and experienced in the following years, a tremendous appreciation. Today almost all the historic buildings have been renovated or restored historical model, whereby one of the most beautiful images of all France can admire. The Saint-Front Cathedral stands today as part of the World Heritage Site " Camino de Santiago in France " under the protection of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. This also changes the tourism has been able to develop a flourish. Périgueux, still spiritual, administrative and cultural center of the Périgord, is now also known for festivals, fine dining and as a center of regional tourism.

Traffic

• Perigueux airport

Sons and daughters of the town

• William Joseph Chaminade (1761-1850), founder of the Society of Mary ( Marianists )
• Jean Frédéric Frenet (1816-1900), mathematician, astronomer and meteorologist
• Léon Bloy (1846-1917), French writer
• Georges Goursat (1863-1934), better known under the pen name " Shem " cartoonist
• Paul Faure (1878-1960), socialist politician
• Simone Mareuil (1903-1954), actress (including Un Chien Andalou (1929 ) )
• Patrick Ollier (* 1944), politician of the UMP
• Daniel Kientzy (* 1951), saxophonist
• Julien Dupuy ( b. 1983 ), rugby players

Other people with ties to the city

• Augiéras François (1925-1971), the French writer died in Perigueux

Twin Cities

• Amberg, Germany