Espalion

Espalion in Occitan Espaliu , is a common French, located in the north of the department of the Aveyron and the area the Midday-Pyrenees.

Its inhabitants is called Espalionnais.

Geography

The city is dominated by the Château of Calmont d' Olt and is crossed by the Lot meadows of its junction with the Boralde Flaujaguèse

Planted in a fertile campaign, the proverb " Espalion, first smile of the midi" includes itself/understands especially for the pilgrim come from north by austere ways.

On banks of the Batch the frontages of the picturesque houses to the wood balconies are aligned in corbelling. It is old Tannerie S, of which the stones in degrees plunges in the river Lot (Olt in occitan). On these staircases, one could tan the skins on the level of the river, different according to the seasons: this river receiving from many rivers of the slope of the Aubrac, and is prone to the frequent raw ones. With the background, the Old Bridge, out of pink sandstone with four arches, which dates from the Moyen-âge is registered with the inheritance of UNESCO.

Heraldic

Of gold to the lion of mouths holding in its mouth a sword of same.

The Pilgrimage of Compostelle

The city is crossed by one of the ways of the Pèlerinage of Saint-Jacques-to-Compostelle , It Via Podiensis which skirts the very beautiful Romance church known as of Perse.
One comes from Saint-Like-with Olt, the next commune is Bessuéjouls , and its church Saint Pierre.

History

The village of Espalion was born from the bridge on the Batch and the exchanges with the mountain.

A Roman Voie secondary crossed there already the Batch with the site of the Gothic bridge.

It was built under Saint-Louis, it was kept by two turns which disappeared; on the other hand its bases are older.

The city was 10th century with the Révolution dominated by the castle of Basalte of the lords of Calmont d' Olt, of which remain, in the south, the ruins. Undoubtedly they went down from a lieutenant set up by Charlemagne.

A cross of mission, for the conversion of the Protestants, was high at the 18th century on the bridge.

Espalion lost in 1926 its role of Sous-préfecture inherited a long story.

Administration

Demography

Inheritance

Soldier

Castle of Calmont d' Olt

Monk

the church of Persia.

The church of Persia was built with the place where Saint-Hilarian would have been, in 730, decapitated by buckwheats: the iconography represents it carrying its cut head which it will wash with the Source of Fontanges.
There was, since 1060, a monastery depend on the abbey of Conches, to which it had been given by Hugues de Calmont. Soon priory and hospital, it was secularized in 1537 and destroys in the wars of religion.
Its vault remained and became parish church until 1742, date where Espalion extended its district sud.

Out of pink and white sandstone under its blue slate roof, it is of very pure Romance style: the chorus and the absidiole of right-hand side are of XIe century, the remainder is of XIIe century, except the northern vault which is of 1471. The wall-belfry with four arcades is drawn up on the arc triomphal.
On the northern gate which is connected with that of Conques, one sees in top the Pentecost, below the Apocalypse and the last Jugement, on the left a Adoration of the Magi and, perhaps, on the cord of the archivolt, Charles Martel.
Inside on the capitals: a Christ teacher, a combat of knights and infantrymen, and birds antithetic. A Carolingian flagstone was employed again in the Transept. A bedside pressed on eight buttresses and decorated blind arcades in semicircular arch. Frescos of the 12th century, improved.

the Church, boulevard Joseph-Poulenc
Néogothique, out of red sandstone, it has two turns carrying of the statues of the Virgin and Joseph saint, significant of piety mariale of Rouergue at last century; inside, a low-relief of Denys Puech represents the martyrdom of Hilarion saint.

the Abbey of Bonneval.
Founded in 1147 by Cîteaux, primitive construction disappeared; the current convent is occupied by Trappistines; uniting work with contemplation, they produce a chocolate which contributes to the gastronomical fame of the area.

Civilian

the Old Palate.
In the commune draws up the old palate, on the river banks. Seen Pont-Vieux, this castle dating from the Rebirth (1572), with its turns and its turrets, takes any sound charms, in the decoration quasi theatrical which offer the Lot and houses of the tanneurs.

the museum Jospeh Vaylet
It is located in the old Parish church (XVe-16th century) restored in 1975. To the ground floor, a Museum of Art and Populaires traditions present a multitude of objects testifying to the uses and local traditions. An old typical interior of the area was reconstituted there. On the first floor, a vast room shelters an important collection of stoups of bedside as well as temporary exhibitions (" Terra cotta of Aveyron" , " Copper in Rouergue").
The museum Jospeh Vaylet lodges also the Musée of the Diving-suit and its single collection of apparatuses and instruments recalling the history of the diving-suit. It is into 1864 that the first modern aqualung with pressure tank and membrane pressure reducer was developed by two espalionnais, Benoît Rouquayrol, mining engineer and Auguste Denayrouze, lieutenant.

the Pont-Vieux.
Built to the 13th century, it offers a pretty glance on the houses to galleries covered with the tanners, with the flagstones where the skins were washed, and the small Renaissance castle downstream; its three red sandstone arches give him an undeniable charm.

the Hamlet of Flaujac.
This strengthened hamlet, founded in 1442, preserves many houses of this time and is surrounded by a crowned trapezoidal enclosure of machicolation.

External bonds

Espalion and its surroundings

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