Périgueux
Encyclopedia
Périgueux (Occitan: Peireguers pejɾeˈɣɥes ~ pejɾeˈɡœː or Periguers [peɾiˈɣɥes ~ peɾiˈɡœː]) is a commune
in the Dordogne
department in Aquitaine
in southwestern France.
Périgueux is the prefecture of the department and the capital of the region. It is also the seat of a Roman Catholic diocese
.
people that held the area before the Roman conquest. Périgueux was their capital city. In 200 BC, the Petricorii came from the North and settled at Perigueux and established an encampment at La Boissière. After the Roman invasion, they left this post and established themselves on the plaine of L'Isle, and the town of Vesunna was created. This Roman city was eventually embellished with amenities such as temples, baths, amphitheatres, and a forum. At the end of the third century AD, the Roman city was surrounded by ramparts, and the town took the name of Civitas Petrocoriorum.
In the 10th century, Le Puy-Saint-Front was constructed around an abbey next to the old Gallo-Roman city. It was organised into a municipality around 1182.
During the year 1940, many Jews from Alsace
and Alsatians were evacuated to Périgueux.
Simone Mareuil
(a lead actor from the surrealist film Un Chien Andalou
) committed self-immolation on 24 October 1954 by dousing herself in gasoline and burning herself to death in a public square in Périgueux.
, called the "Domus of Vesunna", built around a garden courtyard surrounded by a colonnaded perisink.
of St Front was built after 1120 AD and restored in the 19th century.
The history of the church of St Front of Périgueux has given rise to numerous discussions between archaeologists. Félix de Verneihl claims that St Front's was a copy of St Mark's Basilica
in Venice; Quicherat, that it was copied from the church of the Holy Apostles of Constantinople
. M. Brutails is of the opinion that even if the style of St Front's reveals an imitation of Oriental art, the construction differs altogether from Byzantine methods. The dates 984–1047, often given for the erection of St Front's, he considers too early; he thinks that the present church of St Front was built about 1120–1173, in imitation of a foreign monument by a native local school of architecture which erected the other domed buildings in the south-west of France.
The local architect, Paul Abadie
(1812–1884), was responsible for radical changes to St Front's which are no longer appreciated by architects or local residents who prefer the purer Romanesque church of Saint-Etienne de la Cité, the former Cathedral of Périgueux.
The cathedral is part of the World Heritage Sites of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France
.
offers connections to Limoges, Bordeaux and Brive-la-Gaillarde and other regional destinations.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Dordogne
Dordogne
Dordogne is a départment in south-west France. The départment is located in the region of Aquitaine, between the Loire valley and the High Pyrénées named after the great river Dordogne that runs through it...
department in Aquitaine
Aquitaine
Aquitaine , archaic Guyenne/Guienne , is one of the 27 regions of France, in the south-western part of metropolitan France, along the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrenees mountain range on the border with Spain. It comprises the 5 departments of Dordogne, :Lot et Garonne, :Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Landes...
in southwestern France.
Périgueux is the prefecture of the department and the capital of the region. It is also the seat of a Roman Catholic diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
.
History
The name Périgueux comes from Petrocorii, a Latinization of Celtic words meaning "the four tribes" – the GallicGaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
people that held the area before the Roman conquest. Périgueux was their capital city. In 200 BC, the Petricorii came from the North and settled at Perigueux and established an encampment at La Boissière. After the Roman invasion, they left this post and established themselves on the plaine of L'Isle, and the town of Vesunna was created. This Roman city was eventually embellished with amenities such as temples, baths, amphitheatres, and a forum. At the end of the third century AD, the Roman city was surrounded by ramparts, and the town took the name of Civitas Petrocoriorum.
In the 10th century, Le Puy-Saint-Front was constructed around an abbey next to the old Gallo-Roman city. It was organised into a municipality around 1182.
During the year 1940, many Jews from Alsace
History of Jews in Alsace
The history of the Jews in Alsace is one of the oldest in Europe. It was first attested in 1165 by Benjamin of Tudela, who wrote about a "large number of learned men" in "Astransbourg", and it is assumed that it dates back until around the year 1000 CE...
and Alsatians were evacuated to Périgueux.
Simone Mareuil
Simone Mareuil
Simone Mareuil was a French actress best known for appearing in the surrealist film Un chien andalou.-Biography:Born Marie Louise Simone Vacher in Périgueux, Dordogne, she appeared in a number of films, most notably director Luis Buñuel's Un chien andalou...
(a lead actor from the surrealist film Un Chien Andalou
Un chien andalou
Un Chien Andalou is a 1929 silent surrealist short film by the Spanish director Luis Buñuel and artist Salvador Dalí. It was Buñuel's first film and was initially released in 1929 to a limited showing in Paris, but became popular and ran for eight months....
) committed self-immolation on 24 October 1954 by dousing herself in gasoline and burning herself to death in a public square in Périgueux.
Population
Sights
There is an amphitheater, the remains of a temple of the Gallic goddess, "Vesunna", and a luxurious Roman villaRoman villa
A Roman villa is a villa that was built or lived in during the Roman republic and the Roman Empire. A villa was originally a Roman country house built for the upper class...
, called the "Domus of Vesunna", built around a garden courtyard surrounded by a colonnaded perisink.
The cathedral
The cathedralCathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
of St Front was built after 1120 AD and restored in the 19th century.
The history of the church of St Front of Périgueux has given rise to numerous discussions between archaeologists. Félix de Verneihl claims that St Front's was a copy of St Mark's Basilica
St Mark's Basilica
The Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Venice, northern Italy. It is the most famous of the city's churches and one of the best known examples of Byzantine architecture...
in Venice; Quicherat, that it was copied from the church of the Holy Apostles of Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
. M. Brutails is of the opinion that even if the style of St Front's reveals an imitation of Oriental art, the construction differs altogether from Byzantine methods. The dates 984–1047, often given for the erection of St Front's, he considers too early; he thinks that the present church of St Front was built about 1120–1173, in imitation of a foreign monument by a native local school of architecture which erected the other domed buildings in the south-west of France.
The local architect, Paul Abadie
Paul Abadie
Paul Abadie was a French architect and building restorer.-Biography:Abadie worked on the restoration of Notre-Dame de Paris, Église Sainte-Croix of Bordeaux, Saint-Pierre of Angoulême and Saint-Front of Périgueux...
(1812–1884), was responsible for radical changes to St Front's which are no longer appreciated by architects or local residents who prefer the purer Romanesque church of Saint-Etienne de la Cité, the former Cathedral of Périgueux.
The cathedral is part of the World Heritage Sites of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France
World Heritage Sites of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France
In 1998, several sites in France were added to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites under the description: Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France....
.
Transport
Périgueux railway stationGare de Périgueux
Périgueux is a railway station in Périgueux, Aquitaine, France. The station opened in 1857 and is located on the Limoges-Bénédictins - Périgueux and Coutras - Tulle railway lines...
offers connections to Limoges, Bordeaux and Brive-la-Gaillarde and other regional destinations.
Personalities
Périgueux was the birthplace of:- William Joseph ChaminadeWilliam Joseph ChaminadeWilliam Joseph Chaminade or Guillaume-Joseph Chaminade, now called by his liturgical title of Blessed Chaminade , was a French Roman Catholic priest who survived persecution during the French Revolution. He founded the Society of Mary, also called the Marianists, in 1817...
(1761–1850), founder of the Society of Mary (Marianists) and the Daughters of Mary Immaculate
- Georges BéguéGeorges BéguéGeorges Bégué or George P. Begue was a French engineer and agent in the Special Operations Executive.-Early life:...
(1911-1993), French engineer and agent in the Special Operations Executive