Worthy-the-Baths

Worthy-the-Baths (in Vivaro-alpine Occitan : , writing Dinha according to the traditional standard or Digno according to the Norme mistralienne) is a common French, located in the department of the Alp-of-High-Provence and the area Provence-Alp-Coast of Azure.

Its inhabitants is called Dignois.

Geography

Located in edge of the Préalpes de Digne, on both sides of the Bléone, Worthy-the-Baths is the chief town of the department of the Alpes de Haute-Provence. Placed at the geographical center of the department, this city shelters approximately: 18000 inhabitants, which does of it one of the smallest prefectures of France by its population.

Situation

Worthy is a city primarily extended in the plain formed by the valley of Bléone, since the relief which surrounds it is very broken. The old city is built on a hill located between Bléone and the torrent of the Water-Heats, but the city gradually extended in the three directions from the valleys, in particular towards the downstream. Its geographical location is rather remarkable, since it is at the edge of Préalpes, on the overlapping which bears its name. Part of the city is completely enclosed in the valley of Bléone, while the city extends largely on the softer reliefs downstream. With the annexation of common neighbors, especially downstream, the city extends on more than 8 km length.

History

As of the Prehistory, the men settled with the current site of Worthy.
The presence of three rivers (the Bléone, the Mardaric, and the Water-Heats), makes an ideal place of it to be established. Named Dinia at the 1st century, then Digna in 780, the city becomes a Roman city, appreciated for its thermal springs.

At the 6th century, fortifications are high around the city in order to resist the cruel invasions. During following centuries, Digne had to suffer from the wars of religion and an appalling epidemic of Peste (1629). In spite of that, the city is rebuilt with the liking of times of peace and the catastrophes which touch it. During the Second world war, it is occupied by the German army, following the invasion of the free zone, after the unloading of Alliés in North Africa on November 8th, 1942. It will be released on August 19th, 1944 by the 36e Division of Infantry of Texas, helped of the forces of resistance.

Nowadays, the town of Worthy-the-Baths continues to extend, mainly along banks of Bléone. It forms with Entrages, Marcoux, It Caster hammer-on-Galabre, and Mezel, the Communauté of Communes of the Three-Valleys (CC3V).

The cities of the Pigeon and Barbejas are classified Disadvantaged urban area.

Denomination

The current denomination was officialized the June 25th 1988, following the Décret of the June 21st 1988 published the June 24th 1988 with the Official journal. Previously, the commune was called Digne , always frequent name in the current language.

Heraldic

Blasonnement of the traditional weapons of the town of Worthy:

“Of azure, with a flower of gold lily in heart, a money small cross as a chief, and the capital letter D of the same at a peak. ”
as brought back by Malta-Brown in illustrated France (1882).

Administration

|- | align=right| 1989 - 1995 ||Pierre Rinaldi||align=" center" | RPR |- | align=right| 1995 - 2001 || Jean-Louis Bianco ||align=" center" | PS |- | align=right| March 2001 || Jean-Louis Bianco ||align=" center" | PS

Demography

In 2006, the common lance a project of housing in the long term aiming at extending beyond 20.000 the number of inhabitant (lower threshold of obtaining certain government aid).

Economy

Worthy-the-baths is the seat of the Chamber of commerce and industry of the Alpes de Haute-Provence. It manages the aerodromes of Sisteron - Thèze and centers it J. Pledge.

Sport

Worthy-the-Baths is elected the most sporting city of France among the towns of less than 20.000 inhabitants in 2006, by " Équipe".
It is for example the only French city to propose an free access and free with courts of tennis.

From one end to another of the city, one finds structures sporting, free of access or reserved to the many sporting and school clubs.

It is at the request of the Young Town council, that a skate-park was built. This one is in free access.

Among the sporting structures of the city, one finds many gymnasia, a stage, a riding school, a golf, and a public swimming pool.

Places and monuments

the Flagstone with ammonites: classified site. It sagit of a rock layer going back to 200 million years, where one can find more than 1500 fossils of ammonites being able to reach a diameter of 70 centimetres.

Our-Lady-of-Borough: it is a Romance cathedral whose foundations go back to the 9th century. Victim of many attacks and plunderings, it was renovated at the beginning of the 13th century.

Vestiges of the fortifications: by paying attention to the plan of the old city (central district, built on the heights), one can still see some of the walls, and some of the turns which surrounded the city. These remainders of ramparts are currently based in the landscape of the dwellings.

Museum of the geological Reserve of High-Provence and its garden of the butterflies.

Personalities related to the commune

Holy Domnin and holy Vincent, first bishops of Worthy. They were Berbères of North Africa and belonged to one of the first missionaries teams sent for évangéliser Provence.
Holy Douceline de Digne, (1214 - 1274) devotes all its life to the poor and the patients.
Pierre Gassendi (1592 - 1655), mathematician, astronomer and philosopher born with Champtercier close to Worthy.
Alphonse Eugene Beau says Beau of Rochas (1815 - 1893), engineer thermodynamician born in Digne on April 9th 1815.
Alexandra David-Néel (1868 - 1969), exploring and writer Franco-Belgian, resident of Worthy of 1926 until its death in 1969 (except for the duration of its last Asian tour in (1937 - 1946)).
Paul Alexandre Arnoux (1884 - 1973), French poet born in Digne on November 27th 1884.
Alain Boghossian, footballer born in Digne on October 27th 1970, played club of Worthy seasons 87/88 and 88/89.

Twinnings

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