Pont-à-Mousson (German: Moselbrück ) is a city of the North-East of the France, chief town of canton of the department of Meurthe-et-Moselle, on the the Moselle, with équidistance between Nancy and Metz.
Its inhabitants is called Mussipontains.

Geography

Pont-à-Mousson is located in Lorraine, close to the the Moselle, in Meurthe-et-Moselle, with semi way between Nancy and Metz.

History

At the beginning of the 10th century, the site belongs to the lords of Mousson, who are also count de Bar. Those make build a bridge on the the Moselle with the foot of the hillock of Monsoon, and this one, crossing point of rare between Nancy and Metz, sees a city developing to with it. the city then takes the name of the hill of Monsoon, near to the bridge.

In 1353, the emperor Charles IV of Luxembourg sets up the city in marquisat, with the profit of Robert Ier de Bar. Pont-à-Mousson is then given in prerogative to various princes of the house of Bar, then of the house of Anjou (which inherits Barrois in 1430) and of the house of Lorraine (which inherits Barrois in 1480). To this date, Pont-à-Mousson is attached to the Duché of Lorraine, even if the title of marquis de Pont-à-Mousson is sometimes conceded with the oldest son of the duke of Lorraine.

In 1572, indeed, the Cardinal Charles of Lorraine founded there a Université which he entrusted to the Jesuits. At the 17th century, the university of Pont-à-Mousson developed quickly to count to 2000 students come from all the countries of Europe. In 1768, the University was transferred to Nancy and the city preserved only one college and a military academy of good reputation.

In turn place-strong, advanced city or country border, Pont-à-Mousson had often to suffer from the rigors of the war.

Destroyed during the War Thirty Year old, occupied in 1814 and 1815, it was in 1870 the theater of severe street battles. Pont-à-Mousson and its area were the place of frightening combat during the First World War. The Wood-The-Priest, the Cross of the Carmelite friars, the Xon, the Large-Crowned evoke the terrible battles between French and German soldiers. The Cimetière of Pétan points out to us the paid price by France and its enemies during this war. The city was again seriously damaged in 1944, before being released by the third American army of the Général Patton helped by an active local resistance.

The city received hand of the president Raymond Poincaré, in 1921, the Military Cross 1914-1918 with palm and a little later Désiré Ferry, deputy, the cross of the Légion of honor. The city is also titular Military Cross of 1939-1945 with money star.

Armorial bearings

The city carries: of mouths to the bridge of three money arches flanked of two crenelated towers covered with same, the whole posed on sinople waves driving of the point and overcome of an escutcheon of sown azure of small crosses recroisetées with the foot driven of gold, charged with two bars leant with same stitching on the whole and a gold edge also.

The bridge refers to that on the Moselle - which gave its name to the city and which is at the origin of its development - and the ecu is that of the counts de Bar which were also lords of Monsoon, then marquis de Pont-à-Mousson.

Iron and steel industry

The factory of Pont-à-Mousson, founded in 1856, was quickly equipped with two blast furnaces (1857 and 1858) commercial sometimes to wood, sometimes with coke… Two other blast furnaces will supplement this first whole (at the end of 1861 and undoubtedly in 1867) with weak productions of about 5 to 6 tons per day and blast furnace. In 1869, the production is of 24.000 tons pig iron and 7000 tons moulded. In 1894, five blast furnaces are with fire, and this until the First World War day before. The factory then is seriously damaged then starts again gradually, one of the blast furnaces being given to fire in the presence of Raymond Poincaré. Between October 1924 and February 1925, the hoists of the blast furnaces are replaced by ropeways. The factory will count five blast furnaces before and after the second world war, and this until 1964, where it will not have any more whereas four blast furnaces. Currently, three blast furnaces ensure the production.

Tourist monuments and places

  • the Abbey of Prémontrés de Pont-à-Mousson XVIIIe century

  • the Church Saint Martin's day de Pont-à-Mousson, XIVe and XVe centuries
  • the Church the St. Lawrence de Pont-à-Mousson, XVe, XVIIIe, XIXe centuries. It has a beautiful retable of XVIe century and a Christ rising with the martyrdom of Ligier Richier: to also see, a splendid Pascal candlestick out of gilded wooden.
  • the House of the seven deadly sins XVIe century. " The Castle of Amour" , building of XVIe century, ducal residence on the Duroc place, vast girdled triangle of houses with arcades.
  • the Place Duroc XVIe at the XVIIIe centuries
  • the Red Fontaine owes its name with the ferruginous water which runs since centuries with the same flow is 250 liters hour and with 11° C of temperature.
  • the Main courtyard of the old university (beginning XVIIe century), today college
  • the Town hall is an elegant construction of style Louis XVI, work of Lecreulx, carried out by Claude Mique of 1786 to 1791

Economy

  • Iron and steel industry

  • Metallurgy
  • Mechanical engineering
  • Beer recently (the famous beer of Prémontrés)
  • Trade
  • Craftsmen

The company Saint-Gobain WFP (ex Pont-à-Mousson SA), maintaining in the activity Saint-Gobain Drains, subsidiary of Saint-Gobain, manufactures drains in cast iron which equip with many water supply networks, in particular of sewer S in France. It is famous for its manhole covers which however represent only one small portion of its production.

Administration

The Communauté of communes of the Country of Pont-à-Mousson gathers 10 communes cumulating 24  960 inhabitants: Atton, Morville-on-Pail, Monsoon, Pont-à-Mousson , Port-on-Pail, Blénod-the-Bridge-with-Monsoon, Jezainville, Maidières, Montauville, Norroy-the-Bridge-with-Monsoon.

The canton of Pont-à-Mousson is formed of the communes of Atton, the Autreville-on-Moselle, Belleville, Bezaumont, Bouxières-under-Froidmont, the Champey-on-Moselle, Landremont, Lesménils, Loisy, Millery, Morville-on-Pail, Mousson, Pont-à-Mousson , Port-on-Pail, Holy-Genevieve, City-with-Valley and Vittonville, for a population of 19  875 inhabitants.

Celebrities

  • Charles Bocquet, lutist, type-setter with the service of the dukes of Lorraine.

  • Two officers of the Empire are wire of Pont-à-Mousson: the general Fabvier, who illustrated himself with the head office of Athens and the Maréchal Duroc, Duc of the Friuli, Maréchal of the Palate. The native house of this one is street the St. Lawrence (n° 39) where one can see some interesting frontages. Géraud Christophe Michel Duroc, 1st aide-de-camp, major general and large marshal of the palate of Napoleon 1st, was wounded mortally by a ball in Silesia (Pont-à-Mousson 25.10. 1772 - Niedermackersdorf 23.5. 1813) its skin rests with the Invalids.

  • the Town hall was drawn by Claude Mique, cousin of Richard Mique, the architect of small Trianon.

Transport

Pont-à-Mousson has a service of urban transport (managed by the Community of Communes of the Country of Pont-à-Mousson. The owner is the Lorraine autocarist " Dupasquier". 5 lines serve all the communes of Com' COM, like 2 news starting from September 1st.

Pont-à-Mousson is sprinkled by the the Moselle channeled put at large gauge since 1964.

See too

  • Pont-à-Mousson S.A., today Saint-Gobain Drain
  • History of the barracks of firemen of Pont-à-Mousson
  • the Abbey of Prémontrés
  • Town of Bridge with Monsoon in the Community of Communes of the Country of Pont-à-Mousson
  • Historic site and tourist on Pont-à-Mousson and its area

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