Viriat

Viriat is a common Frenchwoman, chief town of canton of the Ain.

Population (1999): 5 288 inhabitants ( called Viriatis ). She belongs to the agglomeration of Borough-in-Bresse. Viriat is classified second larger commune of Ain in surface.

The canton, which belongs to the district of Borough-in-Bresse, gathers 6 communes and 14 515 inhabitants.

History

The history of Viriat goes back to Celtic civilization, as the discovery proves it, on the territory of the commune, of a leg of gilded bronze bull. Some vestiges of walls and tiles point out the presence of old Gallo-Roman villas.

The existence of a place of worship to " Fleyriac" appears with the Xe century.

With the XIIe century, the name of " appears; Viriacus" , indicating a church and a priory.

During the Middle Ages, the hamlets of Viriacus and Fleyriac are strongholds of the seigniory of Bâgé, before knowing various changes of owners. The military religious orders (templiers of Laumusse, hospital of St.Jean of Jerusalem) settle there at XIIe and 13th centuries.

In 1793, the church St-Martin de Fleyriat which threatened already ruin, is shaven, just like the bell-tower of the church St-Pierre de Viriat.

Viriat kept a long time the aspect of a large agricultural borough, with the traditional habitat, strongly dispersed. But since the Fifties, the number of exploitations did not cease decreasing. The industrial activity and artisanal is in constant progression. Viriat counts 250 companies and 3000 employment.

Geography

Its surface of more than 4535 hectares makes of it the largest commune of Bresse and the second of the department. Viriat extends to 6 km in north from Borough-in-Bresse in the department from Ain. To serve its some forty hamlets and localities of unequal importance, there does not exist less than 82 km of asphalt roads and nearly 100 km of rural ways. A40 highway puts the commune at three hours of Paris and fifty minutes of Lyon. Viriat extends on an undulating plate, of an average altitude of 225 m, in which Reyssouze and Jugnon, its affluent, dug their valley.

Administration

Demography

Cultural heritage

The bell-tower, the frontage and the nave of the church go back to its rebuilding of 1822 to 1848. The interior of the nave is inspired of neo-classic art; the apse and the two vaults which form the transept are Gothic (XVe century) where work of restoration released the brick warheads. Among the statues which decorate the church, is a saint Jean Baptiste of stone which points out the existence of a Midsummer's Day vault.

Characteristic

July 14th… IN AUGUST Agricultural work of antan obliges, Viriatis decided, on July 11th, 1880, by local by-law, to celebrate on July 14th… in August, once the completed harvest. Of aucuns affirm that the origin of this shifted birthday would be rather to seek side of slownesses bressanes time of the Revolution: the local representatives of the Third-State would have spent fifteen days to report of Paris to Viriat, by the embourbés ways, good the news of the storming of the Bastille. Stories of haymaking or Revolution, with XXIe century, the festive calendar of Viriat is always characterized by this " entorse" with the national rule.

External bonds

the site of the commune
Localization of the canton of Viriat on a chart of France
the site of the conscripts of the class 2001

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