History of Limoges

The Histoire of Limoges goes back to more than 2000 years.

Antiquity

A Gallic small site

The original site of the capital of the Lémovices (Gallic province) is probably located at a few kilometers in the south-east of Saint-Léonard-with-Noblat, with the place known as of Villejoubert (commune of Saint-Denis-of-Walls) on the plate dominating the Vienna-Maulde confluence, upstream of current Limoges.

The Roman epoch: Augustoritum

Limoges was founded by the Romains about year 10 before our era under the name of Augustoritum. The emperor Auguste indeed decides the foundation of a new capital of the Lémovices, within the framework of the reorganization of the cities and the Gallic provinces of the Roman empire.

A vast slope overhanging Vienna is selected like site of establishment of the new city. Directed to south-east and soft and regular inclined, this slope is exposed less to winter freezing. Moreover, the city is placed at the crossroads between the route connecting the Mediterranean to Armorique and the “way of Clutched”, connecting Lugdunum (Lyon) and Mediolanum (Holy). To finish, to this place the river presents a ford which makes its crossing possible.

The name of Augustoritum is given to this new city. This name is derived from rito (ford in Gallic language), and Augusto (in homage to the Empereur Auguste, thanks to which the city was born). Augustoritum is thus “the ford of Auguste”.

The city is built according to a network of south-eastern/north-western directed parallel streets, coming to cross in right angle another network of north-eastern/south-western directed parallel streets. An almost perfect squaring is thus drawn, according to the diagram of town planning of use among Romans.

The Roman city was very rich.

the Amphitheater : monuments of spectacle, the amphitheaters are among most representative of Roman civilization. The amphitheater of Augustoritum, surely built at the end of the 1st century, is still partly visible today. It was located a little at the variation of the Roman city and had the form of an oval of 136 meters by 115 meters.

It is the monument of Augustoritum which marked the population the most because there remained partly until 1718 before being hidden under the walk of the Intendant of Orsay (current garden of Orsay).

the theater : vestiges of this other monument of spectacle were recently discovered in edge of Vienna, Saint-Martial quay and place Holy-Happiness. Augustoritum is one of the rare cities of the time to have at the same time an amphitheater and a Théâtre.

the Roman Thermal baths : these so expensive places in Romains were obviously present at Augustoritum. The thermal baths of the Jacobins (located at the level of the current place of the Jacobins of Limoges) dating from the 2nd century and richly decorated, were among most imposing of the Gaulle. They were unfortunately destroyed in their quasi-integrality to build a carpark. In 2004 of the excavations in the current garden of évêché allowed to discover new thermal baths.

the forum : it is the heart of the Roman cities. Meeting place, one milked there of the policy, justice, the trade, the religion. The forum of Augustoritum (100 meters by 150 meters), is located at the back of the Town hall. A mosaic found near the Forum, below the multi-media French-speaking Library, was reinstalled with the ground floor of this one and is visible since public spaces (free entry). It presents two geometrical carpets of which one is decorated of a subject probably appearing a lioness. This mosaic is the only visible vestige on the spot of an immense archaeological building site having updated a very interesting Gallo-Roman district. It was destroyed in order to build the media library and the Faculty of Law. To Limoges, archeology passes after the real estate transactions…

the sanctuaries : no Gallo-Roman temple was identified in Limoges. According to the tradition, a temple devoted to Venus, Diane, Minerve and Jupiter would have risen where current the Cathédrale is. Excavations were to take place in 2004 to confirm this assumption.

Well few Gallo-Roman vestiges are still visible in Limoges: the Villa of Brachaud, of the vestiges located under the Renoir College… there exists a great distortion between what was discovered and what was preserved. Contrary to the policies led to Périgueux, Poitiers, or Holy, the municipality of Limoges does not seem to have understood that the safeguarding of the ancient vestiges was a factor of economic development of a city. The destruction of the districts and buildings discovered in Limoges since the middle of the years 1960 also constitutes a serious loss for the study of the Graeco-Roman civilization.

The Middle Ages

End of the Roman empire in the neighborhoods of the year millet

Towards 250, Holy Martial from Rome with two companions, Alpinien and Austriclinien, évangélisa the city of Augustoritum, becoming thus its first bishop.

At the end of the 3rd century, Augustoritum is gradually abandoned following the disorders and with the insecurity caused by the Germanic invasions. The population took refuge in an easily fortifiable place: Puy Saint-Etienne.

As of the 6th century, a nearby site (the tomb of Holy Martial, in a Necropolis in the North-West of Augustoritum) is also selected.

Consequently, two strengthened urban cores will develop:

the City, submitted to the bishop and dominated by the cathedral Saint-Etienne.
the Saint-Martial castle which gathered the tomb of Martial and the Saint-Pierre church of the Sepulchre (worship returned to the first bishop of Limoges).

Not far from the Saint-Martial castle, a third pole, associated with the church Saint-Michel of the Lions, seems to be set up about the 10th century. It is the viscontal residence made up of a mound with its low court. But this viscontal district is quickly connected to the Saint-Martial castle.

In 862, Limoges is plundered by the Viking S of the chief Hasting.

As from the year millet, the Limousin, grace in particular to the radiation of the Saint-Martial abbey of Limoges, becomes a very rich artistic hearth. In the Scriptorium of the abbey or in its close environment are produced splendid enluminés works , among which many musical manuscripts; it is of these para-liturgical poems put in music that is born lyric poetry from the troubadours like Bertran de Born, whose Limousin of the 12th century writes one of the most original pages.

In this landscape of the year millet, vestiges of the ancient city are still drawn up, in particular the large monuments.

Limoges during the One hundred Year old War

At the 13th century, we always have two cities but the castle is more dynamic than the City.

the City, with the partly clerical population, is seen equipped with a new enclosure which reaches Vienna,

that to protect the access to the Saint-Etienne bridge built by the bishop. The activity of the port of Naveix is thus developed. But it is victim of a bag carried out by Prince Noir (Edouard de Woodstock, prince d' Aquitaine and of Wales) and his army in September 1370. The City was mainly destroyed, but the only victims were the members of the garrison installed little before by the French who were 300 people. " civils" city were made prisoners. The City will put much time to be raised of this disaster.

the Castle, as for him, experienced a strong development. It is surrounded by walls of 12 meters in height, surrounded by a ditch of 20 meters broad and deep of 7 meters. These walls had eight doors and of many towers (the boulevards which determine the center of the current city follow the layout of these walls). It is the time of the great splendor of the Saint-Martial abbey.

Outside the walls, the suburbs take much width: suburb of the Saint-Martial bridge, Manigne suburb, suburb Butchery.

The Dominican ones, the Franciscains, the Carmes settle in these popular quarters.

Limoges was with the Moyen-âge chief town of a Vicomté.

Modern time

XVIIIe century: the meeting

After one long period of lethargy, the royal intendants try to open the medieval city. In 1712, is bored the place Dauphine, current place Denis Dussoubs of which architecture is characteristic of the royal places. The ramparts are gradually levelled leaving room to broad boulevards opening the city on the countryside. The place of Présidial is transformed by Turgot, of many private mansions answering the traditional taste flower: the Bourdeau hotel of Judie (street Cruchedor) and the hotel Pétiniaud de Beaupeyrat (street Iron trade) inside the old walls of the Castle but the Niaud Hotel and the Hotel Naurissard (Banque de France) on the recent boulevards. The City is also modernized with the construction of the new episcopal palate and that of the convent of Providence. Thus, the day before the Revolution, Limoges is on the way to become a modern city.

It is in 1792 that the City was plain with the Castle to form the town of Limoges. The French revolution received a positive feedback in Limoges, where the symbols of the catholic capacity were fought and destroyed with eagerness. More 70 % of the surface belonged indeed in 1792 at religious institutions. The Saint-Martial abbey was destroyed during this period of dechristianization, but its demolition (which lasted more than ten years) seems to be also related to the bad condition of the buildings.

It is a little later that porcelain industry developed, as well as the floatation of the wood intended for this same industry. The population of the City transformed itself into workers charged to withdraw the wood of the river, to pile up it and deliver it to the factories for the food furnaces with porcelain. The manufacture of the porcelain could develop thanks to the kaolin, raw material abundant in the area. For this period, Limoges has been universally known for its porcelain.

Limoges at the XIXe century

At that time, porcelain industry nourishes most of the population limougeaude. Indeed, the production cycle of a porcelain service comprises many professions and different spots (of the deliveryman of raw material to the salesman, while passing inter alia by the driver of furnace or the painter on porcelain). The porcelain knows an international prestige thanks to certain American contractors, in particular the Haviland family. This international radiation justifies the opening of a consulate from the United States in Limoges.

This century also sees the construction of many the current buildings of Limoges.

In 1832, the Pont-Neuf built east (it was widened since to face increasing circulation).
the first station of the Benedictines is brought into service in 1856. But it quickly proved too small vis-a-vis a traffic always growing.
In 1875, it is the viaduct of the Paris-Toulouse line which is brought into service.
At the end of the century, of the elected local officials began l'" assainissement" center town. Work of demolition started in the years 1880 and was completed in the years 1920. Some of the old workings of Limoges, considered unhealthy and accommodating the traffic and the prostitution, are eliminated. New transportation routes then were born. The current street Jean Jaurès is the typical example, it which replaces the mythical districts of Viraclaud and Verdurier, shaven during this period. In the place of the shaven districts rose, inter alia, the prefecture, the Post office building, a circus into hard (replaced today by the large theater) and of many buildings.
the Town hall, as for him, is open in 1883. It is built in the place of the convent of Saint-Gerald (repurchased on July 3rd, 1802 by the city, the convent was used as town hall until 1878).
the bridge of the Revolution sees the day in 1885.

The precariousness of the working conditions led those to take part in the movements of revolt and revolution.

During the revolution of 1830, from July to November, strikes burst for the wage increase and the reduction in day's work.

The April 27th 1848 burst of the incidents; Theodore Bac will take the head of the movement and during 20 days, until the May 18th, Limoges will be with the hands of a working capacity. Since the events of 1848, Limoges became “Rome of Socialism” according to the expression of Pauline Roland.

During the Common , the insurrectionists block a train of soldiers on the way for the capital. It has been for this time that Limoges took the Red title of City.

In 1895, it is in Limoges that is born the first working confederation, the General confederation of work (CGT).

Limoges at the XXe century

With the beginning of the year 1905, a series of strikes burst in the factories of shoes and porcelain of the city, the workmen not supporting their work conditions more. April 14th, the workmen invade the factories; the following day, a first barricade rises, it is the beginning of the riots. April 17th, a procession of 3000 people goes to the prison to deliver the workmen imprisoned for vol. the dragons (gendarmes with horse) charge, a young painter on porcelain, come to observe more than to fight, is killed. The death of Camille Vardelle is still today a famous episode of the history limougeaude and at the time had a great repercussion in all France. Limoges has the memory of these strikes and especially of this young man " killed by balls françaises". A stele pays to him homage in the garden of Orsay.

Georges-Emmanuel Clancier took as a starting point this period in its novel the black Bread . And it is not the flower with the rifle which the soldiers for the face in 1914 leave, it is with tears in the eyes, as the photographs testify some to the time.

The old station of the Benedictines having become too small, a new station (current the Station of the Benedictines) is brought into service in 1929.

The May 27th 1940, the capitulation of the king de Belgique Léopold III involves the arrival of 89 Belgian members of Parliament in Limoges, who install the " gouvernement" in the town hall. Being seen speed of their gesture, they find Brussels mid-June.

The August 21st 1944, one week after Brive, Limoges is released by resistant ftp, under the command of Georges Guingouin, celebrates Limousin man of the maquis called " Lou Grand" (the large one).

Limoges continued its development throughout the 20th century but with a deceleration since the Eighties. Working city at the beginning, the tertiary sector occupies a great place today there. (the University hospital (first employer) and the Town of Limoges add up alone nearly 7.000 employment).

Large equipment comes to reinforce Limoges during these last decades:

a university hospital considered,
a university created in 1968 and which exceeds the 18.000 students,
a French-speaking multi-media library,
the technopolis, etc
a new bridge on Vienna
a Zenith

See too

Notes, sources and references

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