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Carpentras

 
 
Columbia Encyclopedia: Carpentras
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Carpentras (kärpäNträs'), town (1990 pop. 25,477), Vaucluse dept., SE France, in Provence. It is an important farm market and a small industrial center. Of Gallo-Roman origin, it was an episcopal see from the 3d cent. and was ruled by its bishops until the French Revolution. The long conclave that elected Pope John XXII met in Carpentras. The town served as the capital of the Comtat Venaissin from 1229 to 1791. Of interest are St. Siffrein Church (15th cent.) and a Gallic arch with sculptures.

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Wikipedia: Carpentras
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For the Renaissance composer of the same name, see Carpentras (composer).

Coordinates: 44°03′21″N 5°02′56″E / 44.055833333333333°N 05.048888888888889°E / 44.055833333333333; 05.048888888888889

Commune of Carpentras
Fontaine à Carpentras 2.JPG
Town hall of Carpentras
Location
Carpentras is located in France
Carpentras
Administration
Country France
Region Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Department Vaucluse
Arrondissement Carpentras
Canton Chief town of 2 cantons
Mayor Francis Adolphe
(2008–2014)
Statistics
Elevation 56–212 m (180–700 ft)
(avg. 95 m/310 ft)
Land area1 37.92 km2 (14.64 sq mi)
Population2 26,090  (1999)
 - Density 688 /km2 (1,780 /sq mi)
Miscellaneous
INSEE/Postal code 84031/ 84200
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.
Truffle Market in Carpentras.

Carpentras (Provençal Occitan: Carpentràs in classical norm or Carpentras in Mistralian norm) is a town and commune in the département of Vaucluse in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur région of France. It stands on the banks of the Auzon, a tributary of the Ardèche River. As capital of the Comtat Venaissin, it was frequently the residence of the Avignon popes; the Papal States retained possession of the Venaissin until the French Revolution. Nowadays, Carpentras is a commercial center for Comtat Venaissin and is famous for the truffle markets held from winter to early spring.

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History

Carpentras was a commercial site used by Greek merchants in ancient times, and known to Romans at first as Carpentoracte Meminorum, mentioned by Pliny, then renamed Forum Neronis ("Forum of Nero"); the city retains an impressive Roman triumphal arch, that has been enclosed by the bishops' palace, rebuilt in 1640, now a law court, and a machicolated city gate, the Porte d'Orange.

Hôtel-Dieu in Carpentras.

It was the seat of a bishop and its Church of St. Siffrein, Gothic with some Romanesque remains, was formerly a cathedral. Pope Julius II was made the Bishop of Carpentras when he was 17.[1] Joseph-Dominique d'Inguimbert, Bishop of Carpentras from 1735 to 1754, established a great scholarly library which Jean-François Delmas, the current chief librarian, has called "the oldest of our municipal libraries"; known as the Bibliothèque Inguimbertine and now holding around 140,000 books, it is known to bibliophiles all over France and is scheduled to move into roomier quarters in the former Hôtel-Dieu in 2013.[2]

Carpentras has been an important center of French Judaism, and is home to the oldest synagogue in France (1367), which still holds services.

In May 1990, there was a desecration of the Jewish cemetery (see French and European Nationalist Party [1]).

Traditions

Carpentras is famous for the Truffle market that takes place every Friday morning during the winter months.[3]

Its traditional confectionery is the berlingot, a small hard candy with thin white stripes, originally made from the syrup left over from conservation of fruits.

Miscellaneous

 Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (February 2009)

Famous people

Carpentras was the birthplace of:

International relations

Main article: List of twin towns and sister cities in France

Twin towns — Sister cities

Carpentras is twinned with:

References

  1. ^ Pope Julius II (Giuliano della Rovere) [Catholic-Hierarchy]
  2. ^ Thomas Wieder, "Un cabinet de curiosités à Carpentras," Le Monde des Livres, August 13, 2009.
  3. ^ Truffle Market

External links

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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
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Carpentras".  Read more

 
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