Langres

French commune|nomcommune=Langres
région=Champagne-Ardenne
département=Haute-Marne
("sous-préfecture")
arrondissement=Langres
canton=Langres (chief town)
insee=52269
cp=52200
maire=Christian Nolot
mandat=2001-2008
intercomm=Communauté de communes
de l'Étoile de Langres
longitude=5.33388888889
latitude=47.8633333333
alt moy=475 m
alt mini=327 m
alt maxi=475 m
hectares=2,233
km²=22.33
sans=9,586
date-sans=1999
dens=429.3
date-dens=1999

Langres is a town and commune of eastern France. It is a subprefecture of the Haute-Marne departement, in the Champagne-Ardenne region.

History

As the capital of the Romanized Gallic tribe the Lingones, it was called "Andematunnum", then "Lingones", and now Langres.

The town is built on a limestone promontory of the same name. This stronghold was originally occupied by the Gauls, and, at a later date the Romans fortified the town belonging to the Celtic tribe the Lingones; Andemantunum the strategic cross-roads of twelve Roman roads.Fact|date=January 2008 The 1st century Triumphal Gate and the many artefacts exhibited in the museums are witnesses to the Gallo-Roman town.

After the period of invasions, the town prospered in the Middle Ages due, in part, to the growing political influence of its bishops. The diocese covered Champagne, the Duchy of Burgundy and Franche-Comté, and the bishops gained the right to coin money in the 9th century and to name the military governor of the city in 927. The Bishop of Langres was a duke and peer of France. The troubled 14th and 15th centuries were reason enough for the town to strengthen its fortifications, which still give the old part of the city its fortified character, and Langres entered a period of royal tutelage. The Renaissance, which returned prosperty to the town, saw the construction of numerous fine civil, religious and military buildings that still stand today. In the 19th century, a "Vauban" citadel was added.

Main sights

Today Langres is a historical town with numerous art treasures within the ancient defensive walls surrounding the old city (3.5 km), including a dozen towers and seven gates.

The "cathedral of Saint-Mammès" is a late 12th-century structure dedicated to Mammes of Caesarea, a 3rd century martyr.

Culture

Langres is home to producers of an AOC-protected cheese of the same name. It is a soft, pungent cow's milk cheese that is known for its rind, which is washed with champagne.

Births

Langres was the birthplace of:
* Jeanne Mance (1606-1673), the co-founder of Montreal
* Claude Gillot (1673-1722), painter
* Denis Diderot (1713-1784), the philosopher of the Age of Enlightement, and the editor-in-chief of the "Encyclopédie".
* Jules Violle (1841-1923), physicist and inventor

ee also

*Bishopric of Langres

Twin towns

Langres is twinned with:
*flagicon|UK Beaconsfield, United Kingdom - since 1995
*flagicon|GER Ellwangen, Germany - since 1964
*flagicon|ITA Abbiategrasso, Italy

External links

* [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08789c.htm "Catholic Encyclopedia":] Diocese of Langres
* [http://www.langres.fr/ Langres official website] (in French)
* [http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FLangres&langpair=en%7Cfr&hl=fr&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&prev=%2Flanguage_tools Translation page wikipedia > en in > fr]