Murat (Cantal)

See also: Murat

Murat is a common French, located in the department of the Cantal and the area Auvergne.

The inhabitants of Murat are called Muratais.

Heraldic

Blasonnement of the traditional weapons of the town of Murat:

“Of azure, with the tower donjonnée of three silver coins, openwork and built of sand. ”
as brought back by Malta-Brown, in illustrated France (1882).

Geography

The city, located in the valley of the Alagnon, is blottie with the foot of the Eastern buttresses of the solid mass of the Cantal. It is surrounded by three basaltic rocks which are the vestiges old ic chimneys Volcan (rocks of Bredons, Bonnevie and Chastel).

History

Origins The origin of Murat is unknown. All that one knows, it is that the birth of this city goes back to very a long time: its first trace in the history is located into 270 after J.C., at the place of preachings of Mamet saint, sent to bring the “lights of the Gospel”. In Celtic language, Murat would mean “escarpé rock”. Then one loses any trace unfortunately of it, until 1008, where one learns that Murat is a Viscount powerful, with a castle established for a long time. The city is then a strengthened place (in 1283, it is called in a treaty “Castrum apud castrum of Murat”, i.e. “fortress supported on the castle of Murat). A note reports that in 1044, Henri the Black, the Germanie king, would have besieged the castle. This is not very probable. The Middle Ages One has more information over this time. The Viscount of Murat was very powerful: during its dismemberment in 1697, it included/understood 25 strong castles, 29 castles, 59 villages and 110 strongholds. The incomes of the city were due to the cattle and cheeses, generally exported about midday. the corn occupied also a big part commercial. The inhabitants of Murat obtained advantages quickly: permission in 1263 with the inhabitants to elect 3 consuls (who had only one legislative power, important decisions being taken by the inhabitants brought together with the sound of the bell), town due on any goods weighed to the weight of the commune, right of use in wood of the lord. It is interesting to throw a blow of oil on the laws of the towns of this time: for the businesses of murder or wound, the culprit was under the responsibility for the lord and his court; in the case of a punch, the quarrelsome one was to pay a fine of 7 grounds of Puy; a husband or an inaccurate woman was whipped around the city; a robber of fruit or vegetable owed restitution or compensation to more pay one fine of 3 grounds (7 if the flight took place the night). Murat, during this time, also underwent devastations due to the wars: in 1265, the lord of Apchon comes to devastate grounds of the Viscount (the Viscount leaves in war and the captive fact); But the blackest period was that of the one hundred year old war: in 1357, occupying English Brioude comes to plunder Murat. They return 5 years after, to ransack the neighborhoods of Murat, destroying 3 castles of the surroundings to the passage (see castle of Bonnevie). The city loses half of its inhabitants and one 2nd then one 3rd enclosure are built

The XVIIème century is characterized by famines and epidemics: in 1630, the double number of deaths, a great famine bursts in 1632, the winter of 1649 is prolonged so much so that people ask for public prayers, the winter of 1663 very hard and, downtown 1693-1694, is undergone 180 deaths in a few months. Paradoxically, it is during this century that the city develops more. The trade are flourishing: a score of inns and hotels, about thirty tisserands, about fifteen butcheries and doctors, lawyers, notaries, prosecutors, goldsmiths, concise, sculptors, painters. The castle of Bonnevie This castle, built one does not know when, was established on the rock of Bonnevie, places which returned it extremely extremely. This building included/understood 3 enclosures and was surrounded by ditches. Today, there remain about it nothing any more and one has of it only one description, made in 1633. The castle was very sure, and in all its history, it was taken only 2 times: in 1380, where the Viscount and his army were attacked in open country, it remained with the castle only servants; and in 1414, where the attackers succeeded thanks to the support of the population which hated the Viscount because of his cruelties. English, come to plunder Murat in 1357, tried in vain to take the castle. If they had reached that point, they would have gone Masters of all the country, because they had taken all the other surrounding castles. On the order of Richelieu, the demolition of the building began on October 18th, 1633 and was completed in April 1634. Work was successful so much well that one does not even manage to guess the foundations. The revolution The revolutionists of Murat had an important concern: to give an important role to Murat in new administrative cutting. They succeed rather well: the city becomes chief town of district, with the detriment of Allanche. At this period, the church Martin saint is replaced by a corn exchange, the hospital is transferred to the holy convent Gall and the administrations take seat with the convent of the Dominican ones. All the suspects are sent to Aurillac: Muratais will not see the guillotine. XIXème and XXème centuries The restoration, the monarchy of July and the revolution of 1848 will have little influence on Murat. But it is necessary to note the arrival of the railroad into 1866 which comes to break the insulation of the city. At the XXème century, the two world wars will cause many losses for Murat: 102 Muratais young people will perish at the time of the war of 1914-1918, plus 7 died of 1939-1940. But the true hecatomb will come from the deportations: June 12th, 1944, whereas accompanied German gendarmes militiamans come to carry out “arrests”, an about sixty resistant arrive in Murat, are put in position then open fire on the Germans. The latter start initially by being defended, but they will end up beating a retreat with some hostages. Assessment of the operation: The chief of the KDS of Vichy (Geissler) died with 6 gendarmes and 2 militiamans, against only 1 slightly injured at the resistant ones. The Germans return to be avenged on June 24th: they will destroy 10 houses, “will control” 300 people and 117 all will keep some, the old men from 16 to 50 years. 87 Muratais will die in camps.

Administration

Demography


Places and monuments

in Murat

  • the medieval old city. Murat counts many medieval houses and rebirth, from including seven buildings protected, registered voters with the Inventory of the historic buildings:
    • the House of the Markets (opposite collegial): good example of metal frame constructions of the 19th century.
    • collegial the Notre-Dame of the Olive-trees (place Gandilhon-People-with Armes): built between XIIIe and XIVe century, it was gradually increased thereafter. The southern part of the building was released in 1926.
    • old the bailliage (place Gandilhon-People-with Armes): house of the 16th century, important witness of the historical past of Murat, presenting volcanic a stone masonry jointed to lime.
    • the house Renaissance style (Commercial place): present a beautiful stone equipment cut in trachyte.
    • the court (street of the Notre-Dame suburb): old convent of Dominican teaching of Holy-Catherine of His, rebuilt after the fire of 1771.
    • the Consular house (street of the Notre-Dame suburb): frontage of the end of the 15th century crossed by 2 stringcourses with the sections profiled in moulding plane.
    • the farm of Pradal

  • the House of fauna, museum located in an old private mansion of the XVIIe century and whose collections illustrate the richness of local and exotic fauna.

Twinnings

See too

External bonds

  • On the mayors Guibal and Peschaud Murat at the end of the XIXe century: a city, a mayor, a newspaper article of Philippart Mr. Jean-louis.

  • Internet site of the city
  • Tourist bureau of Murat
  • Murat on the site of the national geographical Institute
  • Murat on the site of INSEE
  • Murat on the site of Quid
  • Localization of Murat on a chart of France and communes bordering
  • Plane on Murat on Mapquest

Notes, sources and references

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