Bourges is a commune in central France
on the
Yèvre
river. It is the capital of the department of Cher
and also was the capital of the former province of Berry.
History
The name of the city is either derived from the
Bituriges, the name of the original inhabitants,
or from the Germanic
Burg (
French:
Bourg.
Spanish:
Burgos.
English, others:
Burgh,
Berg, or
Borough), for "hill/village". Its
Celtic name was
Avaricon. In the
Gallic Wars, the Gauls practiced a
scorched-earth policy, but the
inhabitants of Avaricon begged not to have their city burned, and
it was spared due to its good defenses provided by the surrounding
marshes and a strong southern wall.
The third century
Saint Ursinus,
also known as Saint Ursin, is considered the first
bishop of the city. Currently, Bourges is the seat of
an
archbishopric.
The
Gothic Cathedral of Saint Etienne
, begun at the end of the twelfth century, is listed
as a World Heritage Site. It is considered the earliest
example of the high gothic style of the thirteenth century.
During the
Middle Ages, Bourges was the
capital of a
Viscounty until the fourteenth
century. The future king,
Charles
VII, sought refuge there. His son,
Louis
XI, was born there in 1423. In 1438, Charles decreed the
Pragmatic Sanction of
Bourges. During this period, Bourges was also a major capital
of
alchemy.
The city has a long tradition of art and history, other sites of
importance include the Palace of
Jacques Cœur and a sixty-five-hectare
district of timber houses and grande homes.
The
Impressionist painter,
Berthe Morisot, was born in Bourges on 14
January 1841.
Main sights
Floorplan of the cathedral of
Bourges
Colleges and universities
International relations
Twin towns — Sister cities
Bourges is
twinned with:
Half-timbered houses in Place
Gordaine
Events
Flag of Bourges
The
Printemps de
Bourges music festival takes place in Bourges every
year.
See also
References
External links
in 1992
, Germany
, Italy
, Poland
, Spain
, United
Kingdom
(Russia
)
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