History of Limoges

Limousin Region in The West of Central France

Limoges is the administrative capital of the Limousin region, in the west of central France. It is also the capital of the Haute-Vienne department. Limoges dates back almost 2000 years. Engraved evidence points to a Gallic settlement before the actual city was established in the tenth century BC.

Limoges

In the tenth century BC, the Roman Emperor Augustus was said to have founded the city along the model Roman costumes. The city contained a Roman square, located at the point of crossing two main roads. In those days, all Roman institutions such as the Coliseum, Forum, had many baths and sanctuaries. His name was Augustoretum after the Emperor Augustus.

Of course the city was later renamed after the indigenous tribe that occupied it. The tribe was named Lemovices and the city was named Limoges and the surrounding area became known as Limousin.

With the advent of Saint Martial and his companions in the middle of the third century AD, Limoges became evangelical. But later on, the city was threatened by attacks from Germanic tribes, and thus it became very unsafe. This made his occupants move away in search of more fortified places.

The history of Limoges, Puy Saint-Etienne, which is the current center of Limoges, became the first settlement of Limoges at the time. Later in the ninth century, the Monastery of Saint-Martial was established and another settlement gathered around the monastery and was ruled by bishops.

Viscount of Limoges built a castle for itself in the tenth century and of course a third settlement was formed around the castle. The three settlements were combined in 1792 to form one Limoges.

From the eleventh century onwards, Limoges occupied a place in world history. It flourished as a center of art and music, thanks to the impressive library of the Saint Martial Monastery. St. Martial School of Music occupied a place in medieval music.

Limoges flourished with two fortified settlements - the city and the palace - and culminated in the thirteenth century. In 1370, Prince Edward invaded and sacked the city, which suffered its attack and was unable to fully recover.

After the formation of Modern Limoges in 1792 she again suffered under the French Revolution. The revolutionaries destroyed everything that seemed to them as a symbol of the old system. Many heritage institutions, including the Monastery of Saint Martial, have fallen before the Furry Revolutionaries.

But the discovery of kaolin clay in a place near Limoges has opened a new era of splendor in Limoges. The secret of the porcelain industry, which until now was the Chinese monopoly, was revealed to the Limoges, and it soon became the main center of the Limoges porcelain industry and the main supplier of ceramic objects throughout Europe.

The new wealth has led to dangerous construction activities in Limoges. So during the nineteenth century the construction of new buildings replaced the old city with the new city. It was inevitable in some way, due to the unsanitary conditions caused by the poverty of the region. Riots and uprisings were very common during that period. During the World War, two Alsace Jews immigrated to the city.

But modern Limoges is among the 153 cities that have been declared "the city of art and history" (the city of art and history). This is due to the 2000-year-old Limoges heritage and its impressive variety.