Limoges

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Limoges_and_Miniature_Boxes

This article is about the French city. For the Canadian city, see Limoges, Ontario.

Limoges (Limòtges in Occitan) is a city and commune in France, the préfecture of the Haute-Vienne département, and the administrative capital of the Limousin région. Population city: 137,502 (limougeauds), urban area: 247,944.

Limoges is known worldwide for its medieval enamels ('Limoges enamels') on copper, for its 19th century porcelain ('Limoges porcelain') and for its oak barrels (Limousin oak), which are used for Cognac production.

History

For the ecclesiastical history, see Bishopric of Limoges

Limoges was the location of the Abbey of St. Martial, named after the first bishop of Limoges, Saint Martial. The abbey became famous in the Middle Ages for its large library. It also was apparently the home to an important school of medieval music composition, which is usually called the St. Martial School.

Heritage

The Gothic cathedral of St-Etienne, begun in 1273, was noted for a fine rood loft built in 1534; the church of St-Pierre-du-Queyroix, begun in the twelfth century, and that of St-Michel-des-Lions, begun in 1364, are worthy of notice.

Cathedral:^*]

Porcelain

In 1771 kaolinic clay, the fine white clay indispensable for making hard-paste porcelain, was discovered at Saint-Yrieix-la-Perche, near Limoges.

Under the impetus of the progressive economist Anne Robert Jacques Turgot, Baron de Laune, who had been appointed intendant of this impoverished and isolated region, a new ceramics industry was developed, and Limoges porcelain became famous during the 19th century.

Miscellaneous

A small university was founded at Limoges in 1968.
Richard I of England (Richard the Lionheart) was killed by a crossbow bolt wound to the shoulder just south of Limoges in 1199.

Births

Limoges was the birthplace of:

Jean Daurat (or Dorat) (1508-1588), poet and scholar, member of the Pléiade
Henri François d'Aguesseau (1668-1751), chancellor of France
Pierre Victurnien Vergniaud (1753-1793), orator and revolutionary
Jean-Baptiste Jourdan (1762-1833), marshal of France
Stephen Grellet (1773?1855), Quaker missionary
Thomas Robert Bugeaud de la Piconnerie, Duke of Isly (1784-1849), marshal of France
Jean-Baptiste Joseph Émile Montégut (1825-1895), critic
Marie François Sadi Carnot (1837-1894), President of France
Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919), preeminent French painter

Twin towns

Sources and External links

Communes of Haute-Vienne | Préfectures | Cities in France | Cities of Occitania

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