Examine individual changes

'{{Otheruses|Poitier}} {{Infobox French commune |name = Poitiers |region = [[Poitou-Charentes]] |department = [[Vienne]] |image = [[File:Poitiers hill.jpg|250px]] |arrondissement = Poitiers |canton = Prefecture |INSEE = 86194 |postal code = FR86000 |mayor = Alain Claeys |term = 2008&ndash;2014 |intercommunality = Agglomeration community of Poitiers (CAP) |latitude = 46.581944 |longitude = 0.336111 |elevation m = 75 |elevation min m = 65 |elevation max m = 144 |area km2 = 42.11 |population = 91395 |population date = 2006 }} '''Poitiers''' ({{IPA-fr|pwatje}}) is a city on the [[Clain|Clain river]] in west central France. It is a [[commune in France|commune]] and the capital of the [[Vienne]] [[Departments of France|department]] and of the [[Poitou-Charentes]] [[Regions of France|region]]. The centre is picturesque and its streets are interesting for predominant remains of historical architecture, especially from the [[Romanesque architecture|Romanesque]] period. Poitiers is associated with great historical events from the [[Late medieval]] era. ==Geography== Poitiers is strategically situated on the [[Seuil du Poitou]], a shallow zone which is a gap between the [[Armorican Massif|Armorican]] and the [[Massif Central|Central Massif]] and connects the [[Aquitaine Basin (geology)|Aquitaine Basin]] to the [[Paris Basin (geology)|Paris Basin]]. Poitiers's primary site sits on a vast promontory between the valleys of the [[Boivre]] and the [[Clain]]. The old town occupies the slopes and summit of a plateau which rises {{convert|130|ft|m}} above the streams which surround it on three sides. Inhabitants of Poitiers are called Pictaviens. One out of three people in Poitiers is under the age of 30 and one out of four people in Poitiers are students.{{citation needed|where do the age statistics originate?|date=October 2008}} ==History== ===Antiquity=== Poitiers was founded by the [[Celts|Celtic]] [[Pictones]] tribe as the [[oppidum]] ''Lemonum'' before [[Roman Republic|Roman]] influence. The name is said to have come from the Celtic word for [[elm]], ''Lemo''. Until 1857 Poitiers contained the ruins of a vast Roman [[amphitheatre]] larger than that of [[Nîmes]]. Remains of [[Roman bath]]s, built in the 1st century and demolished in the 3rd century, were laid bare in 1877. In 1879 a burial-place and tombs of a number of [[Christian martyr]]s were discovered on the heights to the south-east, the names of some of the [[Christian]]s being preserved in paintings and inscriptions. Not far from these tombs is a huge [[dolmen]] (the ''Pierre Levée''), which is {{convert|22|ft|m}} long, {{convert|16|ft|m}} broad and {{convert|7|ft|m}} high, and around which used to be held the great fair of [[Saint Luke]]. The Romans also built at least three aqueducts. This extensive ensemble of Roman constructions suggests Poitiers was a town of first importance, possibly even the capital of the [[roman province]] of ''[[Gallia Aquitania]]'' during the 2nd century. As [[Christianity]] was officialized and introduced across the [[Roman Empire]] during the 3rd and 4th centuries, the first [[bishop of Poitiers]] from 350 to 367, [[Hilary of Poitiers|Saint Hilarius]], evangelized the city. The first foundations of the [[Baptistère Saint-Jean]] are traced to that era. In the 4th century, a thick wall six meters wide and ten meters high was built around the city. It was {{convert|2.5|km|mi|abbr=on}} long and stood lower on the naturally defended east side and at the top of the promontory. At this time, the town began to be known as Poitiers, after the original [[Pictones]] inhabitants. Fifty years later the city fell into the hands of the Arian [[Visigoths]], and became one of the principal residences of their kings. Visigoth King [[Alaric II]] was defeated by [[Clovis I]] at [[Vouillé, Vienne|Vouillé]], not far from Poitiers, in 507, and the town came under [[Frank]]ish dominion. ===Middle Ages=== [[File:PlacedeGaulle Poitiers.JPG|left|thumb|[[Charles de Gaulle|Charles-de-Gaulle]] place and its medieval heritage]] During most of the [[Early Middle Ages]], the town of Poitiers took advantage of its defensive site and of its location, which was far from the center of Frankish power. As the seat for an ''[[bishop|évêché]]'' (bishop) since the 4th century, the town was the capital of the [[Poitou]] county. The [[Count of Poitiers|Counts of Poitiers]] governed a large domain, including both [[Aquitaine]] and [[Poitou]]. The first decisive [[Christian]] victory over [[Muslims]]—the [[Battle of Tours]]—was fought by [[Charles Martel]]'s men in the vicinity of Poitiers on October 10, 732. It was one of the world's pivotal moments.<ref>Professor of religion [[Huston Smith]] says in ''The World's Religions: Our Great Wisdom Traditions'': "But for their defeat by Charles Martel in the Battle of Tours in 733 [sic], the entire Western world might today be Muslim."</ref> [[Eleanor of Aquitaine]] frequently resided in the city, which she embellished and fortified, and in 1199 entrusted with communal rights. The [[Battle of Poitiers (1356)|Battle of Poitiers]] was fought at Poitiers on September 19, 1356, during the [[Hundred Years' War]]. In 1418, the royal parliament moved from Paris to Poitiers, where it remained in exile until the English withdrew from the capital in 1436. During this interval (1429) [[Joan of Arc]] was subjected to a formal inquest in the town. The [[University of Poitiers]] was founded in 1431. Also, [[John Calvin]] had numerous converts at Poitiers. Of the violent proceedings which attended the [[French Wars of Religion|Wars of Religion]], the city had its share. In 1569 it was defended by Gui de Daillon, comte du Lude, against [[Gaspard de Coligny]], who after an unsuccessful bombardment retired from the siege at the end of seven weeks. ===16th century=== The type of political organisation existing in Poitiers during the [[late medieval]] or [[early modern]] period can be glimpsed through a speech given on 14 July 1595 by [[Maurice Roatin]], the town's mayor. He compared it to the Roman state, which combined three types of government: [[monarchy]] (rule by one person), [[aristocracy]] (rule by a few), and [[democracy]] (rule by the many). He said the Roman consulate corresponded to Poitiers' mayor, the senate to the town's peers and ''échevins'', and the democratic element in Rome corresponded to the fact that most important matters "can not be decided except by the advice of the ''Mois et Cent'' (broad council).[[#Notes|¹]] The mayor appears to have been an advocate of a mixed constitution; it should be noted that not all Frenchmen in 1595 would have agreed with him, at least in public; many spoke in favour of absolute monarchy. We should also note that the democratic element was not as strong as the mayor's words may seem to imply: in fact, Poitiers was similar to other French cities, Paris, [[Nantes]], [[Marseille]], [[Limoges]], [[La Rochelle]], [[Dijon]], in that the town's governing body (''corps de ville'') was "highly exclusive and oligarchical": a small number of professional and family groups controlled most of the city offices. In Poitiers many of these positions were granted for the lifetime of the office holder.[[#Notes|²]] The city government in Poitiers based its claims to legitimacy on the theory of government where the mayor and ''échevins'' held jurisdiction of the city's affairs [[fief|in fief]] from the king: that is, they swore allegiance and promised support for him, and in return he granted them local authority. This gave them the advantage of being able to claim that any townsperson who challenged their authority was being disloyal to the king. Every year the mayor and the 24 ''échevins'' would swear an oath of allegiance "between the hands" of the king or his representative, usually the lieutenant général or the sénéchaussée. For example, in 1567, when [[Maixent Poitevin]] was mayor, king [[Henri III]] came for a visit, and, although some townspeople grumbled about the licentious behaviour of his entourage, Henri smoothed things over with a warm speech acknowledging their allegiance and thanking them for it.[[#Notes|²]] In this era, the mayor of Poitiers was preceded by sergeants wherever he went, consulted deliberative bodies, carried out their decisions, "heard civil and criminal suits in first instance", tried to ensure that the food supply would be adequate, visited markets.[[#Notes|²]] In the 1500s, Poitiers impressed visitors because of its large size, and important features, including "royal courts, university, prolific printing shops, wealthy religious institutions, cathedral, numerous parishes, markets, impressive domestic architecture, extensive fortifications, and castle."[[#Notes|³]] Poitiers is closely associated with the life of [[François Rabelais]] and with the community of [[Bitard]]s. ===17th century=== The town saw less activity during the [[Renaissance]]. Few changes were made in the urban landscape, except for laying way or the [[rue de la Tranchée (Poitiers)|rue de la Tranchée]]. Bridges were built were the inhabitants had used ''[[gués]]''. A few ''[[hôtel particulier|hôtels particuliers]]'' were built at that time, such as the hôtels Jean Baucé, Fumé and Berthelot. [[Poets]] [[Joachim du Bellay]] and [[Pierre Ronsard]] met at the [[University of Poitiers]], before leaving for Paris. Many [[Acadians]] or [[Cajuns]] living in North America can trace ancestry to this region as their ancestors left from here in the 17th century. ===18th century=== The city at this time lived mostly off of its administrative functions: royal justice, évêché, monasteries and the intendance of the ''[[Généralité du Poitou]]''. The [[Vicomte de Blossac]], intendant from 1750 to 1784, had a [[french garden]] landscaped. He also had [[Aliénor d'Aquitaine]]'s wall raised and [[boulevard]]s built in its place ===19th century=== During the 19th century, many army bases were built in Poitiers because of its central and strategic location. Poitiers became a [[garrison town]], despite its distance from France's borders. The train station was built in the 1850s. ===20th century=== Poitiers was bombed during World War II, particularly the area round the railway station which was heavily hit on June 13, 1944. During the late fifties until the late sixties when Charles De'Gaulle ended the American military presence, the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force had an array of military installations in France, including a major Army logistics and communications hub in Poitiers, part of what was called the Communication Zone (ComZ), and consisting of a logistics headquarters and communications agency located at Abboville Caserne, a military compound situated on a hill above the city. Today, hundreds of graduates (called "Military Brats) of Poitiers American High School, a school operated by the Department of Defense School System (DODDS), have gone on to successful careers, including the recent commander-in-chief of U.S. Special Forces Command, Army General Bryan (Doug) Brown. The Caserne also housed a full support community, with a theater, commissary, recreation facilities and an affiliate radio station of the American Forces Network, Europe, headquartered in Frankfurt (now Mannheim), Germany. The city benefited from industrial ''[[décentralisation]]'' in the 1970s, for instance with the installation of [[Michelin]] and [[Schlumberger|Compagnie des compteurs Schlumberger]] [[factory|factories]] during that decade. The ''[[Futuroscope]]'' [[theme park]] and research park project, built in 1986-1987 in nearby [[Chasseneuil-du-Poitou]] after an idea from [[René Monory]], established the city as a [[tourism|touristic]] destination and opened it to the era of [[information technology]] ==Attractions== [[File:Saint Hilaire Poitiers 2.jpg|right|198 px|thumb|Église St-Hilaire-le-Grand<br>Poitiers]] * [[Baptistère Saint-Jean]] (4th century) – the second oldest church in France * [[Palace of Poitiers]] – the seat of the [[Dukes of Aquitaine]] * [[Église Notre-Dame-la-Grande]] – oldest [[romanesque architecture]] [[Church (building)|church]] in Europe * [[Poitiers Cathedral|Cathédrale Saint-Pierre]], Poitiers's [[cathedral]] (12th century) * [[Musée Sainte-Croix]], the largest [[museum]] in Poitiers * [[Église Sainte-Radegonde-de-Poitiers]] * [[Église Saint-Hilaire-le-Grand]] (11th century) * [[Hypogée des Dunes]] (underground chapel) * [[Jardin des Plantes de Poitiers]], a park and [[botanical garden]] * [[Église de Montierneuf]] * [[Futuroscope|Parc du Futuroscope]] (European Park of the Moving Image, some {{convert|10|km|mi|abbr=on}} north of Poitiers; theme is visual communication technology in ultramodern buildings) * [http://www.fanzino.org La Fanzinothèque] * Le Confort Moderne [[File:PoitiersEglise Notre Dame.JPG|left|thumb|Église [[Église Notre-Dame-la-Grande|Notre-Dame la Grande]]]] ==Sport== The [[Stade Poitevin]] founded in 1900 is a multi sports club. It includes a [[volleyball]] team that play in Pro A, a [[basketball]] team in Pro B, an amateur [[Association football|football]] team and also a professional [[Rugby football|rugby]] team (season 2008-2009). [[Brian Joubert]], the [[figure skating]] champion, practices at Poitiers ice rink and lives with his family in the city. ==Demography== {{Demography |1936= 44,269 |1954= 52,681 |1962= 62,178 |1968= 71,129 |1975= 81,313 |1982= 79,350 |1990= 78,894 |1999= 83,448 |2006= 91,395 }} ==Tourism== Historic churches, in particular Romanesque, are the main attraction of Poitiers itself. Poitiers' tourist industry has greatly benefited from the opening of the ''[[Futuroscope]]'' in nearby [[Chasseneuil-du-Poitou]]. The city center is visited in complement to the theme-park and benefits from a larger proportion of European tourists, notably from the United Kingdom. ==Transport== Poitiers has a railway station on the [[TGV Atlantique]] line between [[Paris]] and [[Bordeaux]]. The station is in the valley to the west of the old town centre. Services run to [[Angoulême]], [[Limoges]] and [[La Rochelle]] in addition to Paris and Bordeaux. The direct [[TGV]] puts [[Poitiers]] 1h40 from Paris' [[Gare Montparnasse]]. [[Poitiers - Biard Airport]] is located {{convert|2.4|km||mi|abbr=on}} west of Poitiers with flights to [[Satolas|Lyon-Satolas]], [[London-Stansted]] and [[Birmingham International Airport (England)|Birmingham]] Urban transport is provided by the company Vitalis. Transport in the region are provided by the [[TER Poitou-Charentes]] (regional express train) . Transportation in the department of [[Vienne]] are insured by the car "ligne en Vienne". ==Education== The city of Poitiers has a very old university [[tradition]]. The [[University of Poitiers]] was established in 1431 and welcomed many famous thinkers ( [[François Rabelais]]; [[René Descartes]]; [[Francis Bacon]] ). It is the second oldest university in France. Poitiers is nowadays one of the biggest [[student]] [[city|cities]] in France; it has more students per inhabitant than any other city in France. There are more than 27,000 university students, nearly 4000 of them foreigners, from 117 countries. The University covers all major fields such as [[sciences]], [[geography]], history, [[languages]]. It had engineering ([[ENSMA]]; [[ESIP]]) and [[business]] schools ([[ESCEM]]; [[Institut d'Administration des Entreprises|IAE]]). The [[law degree]] is one of the best in France, rank 2nd by Etudiant [[magazine]] in 2005.{{citation needed|find link to article if possible|date=October 2008}} Since 2001, the city of Poitiers has hosted the first cycle of "South America, Spain and Portugal" from the [[Paris Institute of Political Studies]]. ==International relations== {{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in France}} ===Twin towns — Sister cities=== Poitiers is [[town twinning|twinned]] with: {| cellpadding="10" |- valign="top" | * {{Flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[Northampton]], United Kingdom * {{Flagicon|Germany}} [[Marburg]], Germany * {{Flagicon|USA}} [[Lafayette, Louisiana]], United States * {{Flagicon|Portugal}} [[Coimbra]], Portugal<ref name="Coimbra Twinning">{{cite web|url=http://www.cm-coimbra.pt/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=62&Itemid=128|title=Acordos de Geminação|publisher=© 2009 [http://www.cm-coimbra.pt/ Câmara Municipal de Coimbra] - Praça 8 de Maio - 3000-300 Coimbra |language=Portugese|accessdate=2009-06-25}}</ref> || * {{Flagicon|Russia}} [[Yaroslavl]], Russia * {{Flagicon|Romania}} [[Iaşi]], [[Romania]] * {{Flagicon|Chad}} [[Moundou]], [[Chad]] * {{Flagicon|Austria}} [[Eggelsberg]], Austria |} ==Personalities== This is a list of people of interest who were born or resided in Poitiers: *[[Charles Martel]], French [[general]] who defeated the Muslim [[Umayyad]] army in the [[Battle of Tours]] in 732 *[[François Rabelais]], [[Renaissance]] writer and [[Humanism|humanist]] *[[Pope Clement V]] *[[St. Venantius Fortunatus]], 6th-century [[Latin]] poet and [[hymn]]odist and [[Bishop]] in the [[Roman Catholic Church]] *[[Beatification|Blessed]] [[Marie Louise Trichet]] *[[René Descartes]] studied law at the University of Poitiers *Saint [[Louis de Montfort]] *[[Camille Guérin]], born in Poitiers in 1872, discovered a [[vaccine]] against [[tuberculosis]] with [[Albert Calmette]] in 1924 *[[Michel Foucault]], French [[philosopher]] *[[Joël Robuchon]], born in Poitiers in 1945, French [[chef]] and [[restaurateur]] *[[Brian Joubert]], French [[ice skating]] [[champion]] *[[Jean-Pierre Raffarin]], French [[politician]] and [[senator]] for [[Vienne]], former [[Prime Minister of France]] (2002–2005) *[[Florence Largeau]], singer, famous for her rendition of the ageless French classic song ''[[le Connemara]]''. *[[Michel Aco]], the explorer, was born in Poitiers.<ref name="Marquis 1607-1896">{{cite book | title = Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607–1896 | publisher = [[Marquis Who's Who]] | date = 1967}}</ref> *[[Mahyar Monshipour]], Ex [[World Boxing Association]] Super bantamweight champion in 2003-2006. *[[Francis N'Ganga]] footballer *[[Maryse Ewanje-Epee]] athlete *[[Monique Ewanje-Epee]] athlete *[[Elsa N'Guessan]] swimmer *[[Bruce Inkango]] footballer ==See also== *[[Communes of the Vienne department]] ==References== *[http://www.insee.fr/en/home/home_page.asp INSEE] *{{1911}} ===Bibliography=== # ''Archives communales de Poitiers'', reg. 54, pp.&nbsp;211–213; in Harry J. Bernstein, ''Between Crown and Community: Politics and Civic Culture in Sixteenth-Century Poitiers. 2004, Ithica N.Y., USA: Cornell University Press, p.&nbsp;22. # Harry J. Bernstein, ''Between Crown and Community: Politics and Civic Culture in Sixteenth-Century Poitiers. 2004, Ithaca N.Y., USA: Cornell University Press, p.&nbsp;22-30. # ''ibid''., p.&nbsp;2. ===Notes=== {{reflist|colwidth=30em}} ==External links== {{Commons category|Poitiers}} * [http://www.poitiers.fr Official website of the City of Poitiers.] * [http://www.agglo-poitiers.fr website CAP.] * [http://www.vienne.pref.gouv.fr Prefecture of the Vienne.] * [http://www.vitalis-poitiers.fr Official website Vitalis (Urban Transportation).] * [http://www.cg86.fr/114-transports.htm Official website Ligne en Vienne (Vienne transpotation).] * [http://www.ter-sncf.com/Regions/poitou_charentes/fr/ Official website TER Poitou-Charentes.] * [http://www.gares-en-mouvement.com/gare.php?gare=frpis Official Website of the train station in Poitiers.] * [http://www.ot-poitiers.fr Site of the Tourist Office of Poitiers.] * [http://www.univ-poitiers.fr/ The University of Poitiers website.] * [http://www.paradoxplace.com/Photo%20Pages/France/West/Poitiers_Poitou_Charentes/Poitiers/Poitiers_Overview.htm Poitiers - History, Churches, Streets and Museum] {{Préfectures of départements of France}} {{Préfectures of régions of France}} {{Vienne communes}} [[Category:Poitiers| ]] [[ar:بواتييه]] [[an:Piteus]] [[roa-rup:Poitiers]] [[frp:Pouètiérs]] [[bg:Поатие]] [[ca:Poitiers]] [[ceb:Poitiers]] [[cs:Poitiers]] [[cy:Poitiers]] [[da:Poitiers]] [[de:Poitiers]] [[el:Πουατιέ]] [[es:Poitiers]] [[eo:Poitiers]] [[eu:Poitiers]] [[fa:پواتیه]] [[fr:Poitiers]] [[gl:Poitiers]] [[io:Poitiers]] [[id:Poitiers]] [[it:Poitiers]] [[ka:პუატიე]] [[sw:Poitiers]] [[la:Pictavium]] [[lb:Poitiers]] [[lt:Puatjė]] [[lmo:Poitiers]] [[hu:Poitiers]] [[nl:Poitiers]] [[ja:ポワチエ]] [[no:Poitiers]] [[nn:Poitiers]] [[oc:Peitieus]] [[pl:Poitiers]] [[pt:Poitiers]] [[ro:Poitiers]] [[ru:Пуатье]] [[simple:Poitiers]] [[sk:Poitiers]] [[sl:Poitiers]] [[sr:Поатје]] [[fi:Poitiers]] [[sv:Poitiers]] [[th:ปัวติเยร์]] [[uk:Пуатьє]] [[vi:Poitiers]] [[vo:Poitiers]] [[war:Poitiers]] [[zh:普瓦捷]]'