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.
Bourges
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Bourges (bʊrzh)  |
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 (būrzh), city (1990 pop. 78,773), capital of Cher dept., central France. It is a transportation center with foundries, arsenals, breweries, printing plants, and aeronautical and food industries. Known as Avaricum, Bourges was the Roman capital of Aquitania N of the Garonne River (see Gaul). It early became an archiepiscopal see and the capital of Berry. Charles VII resided there while most of France was in English hands. In 1438 he promulgated the pragmatic sanction of bourges, which was revoked in 1461 by his son Louis XI, who was born in Bourges. Louis XI founded (1463) the Univ. of Bourges, where Jacques Cujas later taught; it was abolished in the French Revolution. The Cathedral of St. Etienne (13th cent.), one of the glories of French Gothic, is remarkable in that it has no transept. Jacques Cœur, whose splendid house still stands, and Louis Bourdaloue were born in Bourges.
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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 | |
  Bourges
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| 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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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
- Its Gothic cathedral (built 1195–1255) was added to the list of the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in 1992
- Jacques Cœur's Palace
- The Maurice Estève Museum
- The marshes of the Yevre and Voiselle Rivers, was listed in 2003 as a French Natural Monument or Site
- The ruins of the Gallo-Roman walls
- The Conservatoire national du Pélargonium
Colleges and universities
- University of Bourges
- École nationale des beaux-arts de Bourges
- Ecole Nationale Supérieure d'Ingénieurs ENSI ([1])
Twin towns
- Augsburg, Germany
- Aveiro, Portugal
- Forlì , Italy
- Koszalin, Poland
- Palencia, Spain
- Peterborough, United Kingdom
Yoshkar-Ola (Russia)
Events
The Printemps de Bourges music festival takes place in Bourges every year.
See also
References
External links
- Official website of the City of Bourges
- Bourges, the departement of Cher (French and English)
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Copyrights:
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 | Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Columbia Encyclopedia. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2003, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/. Read more |
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| Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Bourges". Read more |
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Mentioned in
- Cher (department, France)
- Visions of Light: Gothic Stained Glass (1991 Visual Arts Film)
- Jean Boucher (art)
- Jean Colombe (art)
- Pleau (family name)
- de Montlu?on (art)
- Charland (family name)
- Marcel (family name)
- Giles of Rome (philosophy)
- Sulpicius
- Colombe (art)
- Anton Bruehl (photography)
- Berry (former province, France)
- Châteaumeillant VDQS (wine-related term)
