Langres () is a
commune
A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to:
Administrative-territorial entities
* Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township
** Communes of ...
in northeastern
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
. It is a
subprefecture
A subprefecture is an administrative division of a country that is below prefecture or province.
Albania
There are twelve Counties of Albania, Albanian counties or prefectures, each of which is divided into several Districts of Albania, district ...
of the
department
Department may refer to:
* Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility
Government and military
*Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...
of
Haute-Marne
Haute-Marne (; English: Upper Marne) is a department in the Grand Est region of Northeastern France. Named after the river Marne, its prefecture is Chaumont. In 2019, it had a population of 172,512.[region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...]
of
Grand Est
Grand Est (; gsw-FR, Grossa Oschta; Moselle Franconian/ lb, Grouss Osten;
Rhine Franconian: ''Groß Oschte''; german: Großer Osten ; en, "Great East") is an administrative region in Northeastern France. It superseded three former administrat ...
.
History
As the capital of the Romanized
Gallic tribe known as the
Lingones
The Lingones (Gaulish: 'the jumpers') were a Gallic tribe of the Iron Age and Roman periods. They dwelled in the region surrounding the present-day city of Langres, between the provinces of Gallia Lugdunensis and Gallia Belgica.
Name
Attes ...
, it was called Andematunnum, then Lingones, and now Langres.
A hilltop town, Langres was built on a
limestone
Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...
promontory of the same name. This stronghold was originally occupied by the Lingones. At a later date the Romans fortified the town, which they called Andemantunum, located at a strategic crossroads of twelve
Roman road
Roman roads ( la, viae Romanae ; singular: ; meaning "Roman way") were physical infrastructure vital to the maintenance and development of the Roman state, and were built from about 300 BC through the expansion and consolidation of the Roman Re ...
s. The first-century
Triumphal Gate
A triumphal arch is a free-standing monumental structure in the shape of an archway with one or more arched passageways, often designed to span a road. In its simplest form a triumphal arch consists of two massive piers connected by an arch, cro ...
and the many artefacts exhibited in the museums are remnants of the town's
Gallo-Roman
Gallo-Roman culture was a consequence of the Romanization of Gauls under the rule of the Roman Empire. It was characterized by the Gaulish adoption or adaptation of Roman culture, language, morals and way of life in a uniquely Gaulish context ...
history.
After the period of invasions, the town prospered in the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
, due in part to the growing political influence of its bishops. The diocese covered
Champagne
Champagne (, ) is a sparkling wine originated and produced in the Champagne wine region of France under the rules of the appellation, that demand specific vineyard practices, sourcing of grapes exclusively from designated places within it, spe ...
, the
Duchy of Burgundy
The Duchy of Burgundy (; la, Ducatus Burgundiae; french: Duché de Bourgogne, ) emerged in the 9th century as one of the successors of the ancient Kingdom of the Burgundians, which after its conquest in 532 had formed a constituent part of the ...
, and
Franche-Comté
Franche-Comté (, ; ; Frainc-Comtou: ''Fraintche-Comtè''; frp, Franche-Comtât; also german: Freigrafschaft; es, Franco Condado; all ) is a cultural and historical region of eastern France. It is composed of the modern departments of Doubs, ...
, and the bishops obtained the right to coin money in the ninth century and to name the military governor of the city in 927. The
Bishop of Langres
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Langres (Latin: ''Dioecesis Lingonensis''; French: ''Diocèse de Langres'') is a Roman Catholic diocese comprising the ''département'' of Haute-Marne in France.
The diocese is now a suffragan in ecclesiastical pr ...
was a
duke and peer of France. The troubled 14th and 15th centuries caused the town to strengthen its defenses, which still give the old city its fortified character, and Langres entered a period of royal tutelage. The
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...
, which returned prosperity 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
Langres has a historic town center surrounded by
defensive wall
A defensive wall is a fortification usually used to protect a city, town or other settlement from potential aggressors. The walls can range from simple palisades or earthworks to extensive military fortifications with towers, bastions and gates ...
s with a dozen towers and seven gates.
The
cathedral of Saint-Mammès is a late 12th-century structure dedicated to
Mammes of Caesarea
Saint Mammes (Mamas, Mammas, Mammet) of Caesarea ( el, Μάμας; french: Mammès; it, Mamante; es, Mamés; pt, São Mamede) was a child-martyr of the 3rd century, who was martyred at Caesarea. His parents, Theodotus and Rufina, were also ...
, a 3rd-century martyr.
Culture
Langres is home to producers of an
AOC
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (; ; born October 13, 1989), also known by her initials AOC, is an American politician and activist. She has served as the U.S. representative for New York's 14th congressional district since 2019, as a member of th ...
-protected
cheese
Cheese is a dairy product produced in wide ranges of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk, usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats, or sheep. During production, ...
of the same name. It is a soft, pungent cow's milk cheese that is known for its rind, which is washed.
The town was long known for its cutlery industry.
Didier Diderot
Didier Diderot (14 September 1685 in Langres – 3 June 1759 ibid) was a French craftsman and the father of the encyclopedist, author, philosopher of enlightenment Denis Diderot.
Biography
Didier Diderot descended from families of local craf ...
, father of encyclopedist
Denis
Denis may refer to:
People
* Saint Denis of Paris, 3rd-century Christian martyr and first bishop of Paris
* Denis the Areopagite, Biblical figure
* Denis, son of Ampud (died 1236), baron in the Kingdom of Hungary
* Denis the Carthusian (1402–14 ...
, was a cutler.
A museum called the
Denis Diderot House of Enlightenment
The House of Enlightenment, Denis Diderot or La Maison des Lumières Denis Diderot (MLDD) is a museum dedicated to Denis Diderot, the French philosopher, writer, and art critic, as well as his ''Encyclopédie, Encyclopédie, ou Dictionnaire raison ...
opened in 2013. This museum, set up in a private mansion from the 16th and 18th centuries, is dedicated to the philosopher
Denis Diderot
Denis Diderot (; ; 5 October 171331 July 1784) was a French philosopher, art critic, and writer, best known for serving as co-founder, chief editor, and contributor to the ''Encyclopédie'' along with Jean le Rond d'Alembert. He was a promine ...
.
Population
Notable people
Langres was the birthplace of:
*
Nicolas Ribonnier Nicolas Ribonnier ( 1525 – 1605) was a 16th-century French architect.
Biography
Ribonnier was probably from Langres but no documents were found to confirm it. A Jean Ribonnier priest of Heuilley-le-Grand has been found. If he was from his famil ...
(ca.1525–1605), Renaissance architect
*
Jeanne Mance
Jeanne Mance (November 12, 1606 – June 18, 1673) was a French nurse and settler of New France. She arrived in New France two years after the Ursuline nuns came to Quebec. Among the founders of Montreal in 1642, she established its first hospit ...
(1606–1673), the co-founder of
Montreal
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...
*
Claude Gillot
Claude Gillot (April 27, 1673 – May 4, 1722) was a French painter, print-maker and illustrator, best known as the master of Watteau and Lancret.
Life
Gillot was born in Langres. He was a painter, engraver, book illustrator, metal worker, and ...
(1673–1722),
painter
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ai ...
*
Denis Diderot
Denis Diderot (; ; 5 October 171331 July 1784) was a French philosopher, art critic, and writer, best known for serving as co-founder, chief editor, and contributor to the ''Encyclopédie'' along with Jean le Rond d'Alembert. He was a promine ...
(1713–1784), the philosopher of the Age of Enlightenment, and the editor-in-chief of the ''
Encyclopédie
''Encyclopédie, ou dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métiers'' (English: ''Encyclopedia, or a Systematic Dictionary of the Sciences, Arts, and Crafts''), better known as ''Encyclopédie'', was a general encyclopedia publis ...
''.
*
Étienne Jean Bouchu
Étienne Jean Bouchu (23 May 1714 – 5 September 1773) was a French ironworks expert and manufacturer.
Life
Bouchu collaborated to the ''Descriptions des Arts et Métiers'' and to the ''Encyclopédie'' by Diderot for which he wrote the article ...
(1714–1773), metallurgist and
Encyclopédiste
*
Nicolas Fallet
Nicolas Fallet (10 September 1746, in Langres – 22 December 1801, in Paris) was an 18th-century French playwright and journalist.
Biography
The son of a hatter, Fallet wrote quite a number of forgotten items, some of which were not without m ...
(1746–1801), playwright and journalist
*
Joseph-Philibert Girault de Prangey
Joseph-Philibert Girault de Prangey (21 October 1804 – 7 December 1892) was a French photographer and drawing, draughtsman who was active in the Middle East. His daguerreotypes are the earliest surviving photographs of Greece, Palestine (region) ...
(1804–1892), photographer and draughtsman
*
Jules Violle
Jules Louis Gabriel Violle (16 November 1841 – 12 September 1923) was a French physicist and inventor.
He is notable for having determined the solar constant at Mont Blanc in 1875, and, in 1881, for proposing a standard for luminous intensit ...
(1841–1923),
physicist
A physicist is a scientist who specializes in the field of physics, which encompasses the interactions of matter and energy at all length and time scales in the physical universe.
Physicists generally are interested in the root or ultimate caus ...
and
inventor
An invention is a unique or novel device, method, composition, idea or process. An invention may be an improvement upon a machine, product, or process for increasing efficiency or lowering cost. It may also be an entirely new concept. If an ...
*
Jean Tabourot, who went by the pen name
Thoinot Arbeau
Thoinot Arbeau is the anagrammatic pen name of French cleric Jehan Tabourot (March 17, 1520 – July 23, 1595). Tabourot is most famous for his ''Orchésographie'', a study of late sixteenth-century French Renaissance social dance. He was bo ...
and wrote ''Orchésographie'', a book on dance and music.
Climate
Located in the north-east quarter of France, Langres is under the influence of both an
oceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ( ...
and a
humid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...
with no dry season. Winters are cold and snowy (33.4 days of snow per year on average) but interspersed with periods of light thaw and summers are mild and even pleasant with average maximum temperatures around .
International relations
Langres is
twinned with:
*
Beaconsfield
Beaconsfield ( ) is a market town and civil parish within the unitary authority of Buckinghamshire, England, west-northwest of central London and south-southeast of Aylesbury. Three other towns are within : Gerrards Cross, Amersham and High W ...
,
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
- since 1995
*
Ellwangen
Ellwangen an der Jagst, officially Ellwangen (Jagst), in common use simply Ellwangen () is a town in the district of Ostalbkreis in the east of Baden-Württemberg in Germany. It is situated about north of Aalen.
Ellwangen has 25,000 inhabitants.
...
,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
- since 1964
*
Abbiategrasso
Abbiategrasso, formerly written Abbiate Grasso. (local lmo, Biegrass ; lmo, label=Milanese, Biaa ), is a ''comune'' and town in the Metropolitan City of Milan, Lombardy, northern Italy, situated in the Po valley approximately from Milan and f ...
,
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
See also
*
Bishopric of Langres
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Langres (Latin: ''Dioecesis Lingonensis''; French: ''Diocèse de Langres'') is a Roman Catholic diocese comprising the ''département'' of Haute-Marne in France.
The diocese is now a suffragan in ecclesiastical p ...
* The Langres war memorial has a sculpture by
Georges Saupique
Georges Saupique was a French sculptor born on 17 May 1889 in Paris. He died in Paris on 8 May 1961.
Biography
After studies at the Stanilas college in Paris and the lycée Henri-IV, he studied at Paris' École nationale supérieure des beaux-ar ...
Gallery
File:Langres entry.jpg, Road sign announcing improvements to the Citadel of Langres
File:Langres_-_cathédrale_Saint-Mammès_-_façade_2.jpg, Saint-Mammès Cathedral
File:Langres_-_cathédrale_Saint-Mammès_-_2.jpg, Saint-Mammès Cathedral
File:Langres_-_cathédrale_Saint-Mammès_-_7.jpg, Saint-Mammès Cathedral
File:Langres_-_cathédrale_Saint-Mammès_-_8.jpg, Saint-Mammès Cathedral
File:Langres_-_cathédrale_Saint-Mammès_-_cloitre.jpg, Saint-Mammès Cathedral Cloister
File:Cloitre.Langres.png, Saint-Mammès Cathedral Cloister
File:Langres_-_cathédrale_Saint-Mammès_-_12.jpg, Bas relief at Saint-Mammès Cathedral
File:Langres_-_la_porte_des_Moulins_1.jpg, Moulins Gate
File:Langres_-_la_porte_des_Moulins_2.jpg, Moulins Gate
File:Langres_-_la_porte_des_Moulins_3.jpg, Moulins Gate
File:Langres_-_Remparts_2.jpg, Ramparts of the Citadel
File:Langres_-_Rempats_et_panoramics.jpg, Ramparts and Funicular
File:Langres_-_Tour_Saint-Ferjeux.jpg, Saint-Ferjeux Tower
File:Langres_-_tour_de_Navarre_et_d'Orval.jpg, Navarre and d'Orval Tower
File:Langres_-_tour_de_Navarre_et_d'Orval_-_30.jpg, Navarre and d'Orval Tower
File:Langres_-_tour_de_Navarre_et_d'Orval_-_charpente_2.jpg, Navarre and d'Orval Tower ceiling framework
File:Langres_-_tour_de_Navarre_et_d'Orval_-_cul_de_lampe.jpg, Navarre and d'Orval Tower torch holder
File:Langres_-_tour_de_Navarre_et_d'Orval_-_cule_de_lampe2.jpg, Navarre and d'Orval Tower torch holder
File:Langres_-_tour_de_Navarre_et_d'Orval_-_gargouille.jpg, Navarre and d'Orval Tower gargoyle
File:Langres_-_tour_de_Navarre_et_d'Orval_-_mur_7_metres.jpg, Navarre and d'Orval Tower
File:Langres_-_tour_de_Navarre_et_d'Orval_-_niveau_inferieur.jpg, Navarre and d'Orval Tower
File:Langres_-_tour_de_Navarre_et_d'Orval_-_niveau_intermediaire_2.jpg, Navarre and d'Orval Tower
File:Langres_-_tour_de_Navarre_et_d'Orval_-_puits.jpg, Navarre and d'Orval Tower well
File:Langres_-_tour_de_Navarre_et_d'Orval_-_voute_3_4.jpg, Navarre and d'Orval Tower vaulted arch
File:Langres_-_Ancien_collège_Jésuite.jpg, Former Jesuit College
File:Langres_-_cave_Maison_Renaissance.jpg, Renaissance cellar
File:Ln portehoteldeville 2308.jpg, Entrance to City Hall
File:Langres_-_Denis_Diderot.jpg, Statue of Denis Diderot
File:Langres_-_Maison_Renaissance_2.jpg, Renaissance period mansion
File:Langres_-_maison_renaissance_rue_Saint_Didier.jpg, Renaissance period mansion
File:Langres_-_Square_Claude-Henriot_2.jpg, Henriot Square
File:Langres_-_église_Saint-Martin_2.jpg, Saint-Martin Church
References
External links
''Catholic Encyclopedia'':Diocese of Langres
Langres official website(in French)
{{Authority control
Communes of Haute-Marne
Subprefectures in France
Lingones
Gallia Lugdunensis
Champagne (province)