A city of central France south-southeast of Orléans. It was a Roman provincial capital under Augustus and the site of a notable university that was founded by Louis XI in 1463 but abolished during the French Revolution. Population: 71,000.
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Bourges (bʊrzh) ![]() |
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Coordinates: 47°05′04″N 2°23′47″E / 47.0844444444°N 2.39638888889°E
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Commune of Bourges |
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Saint-Étienne de Bourges |
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| Location | |
| Administration | |
|---|---|
| Country | France |
| Region | Centre |
| Department | Cher |
| Arrondissement | Bourges |
| Intercommunality | Bourges |
| Mayor | Serge Lepeltier (2001–2008) |
| Statistics | |
| Elevation | 120–169 m (390–550 ft) (avg. 153 m/500 ft) |
| Land area1 | 68.74 km2 (26.54 sq mi) |
| Population2 | 72,480 (1999) |
| - Density | 1,054 /km2 (2,730 /sq mi) |
| Miscellaneous | |
| INSEE/Postal code | 18033/ 18000 |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
| 2 Population sans doubles comptes: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once. | |
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.
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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.
The Printemps de Bourges music festival takes place in Bourges every year.
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