| Clermont-Ferrand is a city and commune of France, in the Auvergne région, with a population of approximately 140,000.
It is the préfecture (capital) of the Puy-de-Dôme département. It sits on the
plain of Limagne in the Massif Central and is surrounded by a major industrial area. The city is famous
for the chain of volcanoes surrounding it. The Puy-de-Dôme (13km from the city) is the highest of these
and well-known for the telecommunication antennas that sit on its top and are visible from far away.
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| Typical view of the city from "La pierre Carrée", featuring the black cathedral on the left. |
History
Clermont ranks among the oldest cities of France. The first known mention was by the Greek geographer Strabo. The city was at that time called Nemessos—a Gaulish word for a sacred forest. It witnessed the famous Battle of Gergovia won by the Gauls led by Vercingetorix over the Romans led by
Julius Caesar, in 52 BC. After
the Roman conquest, the city was called Augustonemetum, a name which combined its original Gallic name with that of the
Emperor Augustus. Its population was estimated at 15,000–30,000 inhabitants
in the 2nd century, making it one of the largest cities of Roman Gaul.
In 848, the city was renamed Clairmont, after the castle Clarus Mons. During this
era, it was an episcopal city ruled by its bishop, and it was the starting point of the
First Crusade from the Christian world to free Jerusalem from Muslim domination—Pope Urban II preached the
crusade there in 1095 at the Council of Clermont. In 1120, to counteract the power of the
clergy, the counts of Auvergne founded the city of Montferrand
on the model of the new cities of the Midi. In 1551,
Clermont became a royal city, and in 1610, the inseparable property of the Crown.
On 15 April 1630, the Edict of Troyes (the First Edict of
Union) forcibly joined the two cities of Clermont and Ferrand. This union was confirmed in 1731 by Louis XV with the Second Edict of Union. At
this time Montferrand was no more than a satellite city of Clermont, in which condition it remained until the beginning of the
20th century. Wishing to retain its independence, Montferrand made three
demands for independence, in 1789, 1848, and 1863.
In the 20th century, the construction of the Michelin factories and city
gardens, which shaped the modern Clermont-Ferrand, definitively reunited Clermont and Montferrand. Today, although the two cities
are amalgamated, one may find in Clermont-Ferrand two distinct downtowns, and
Montferrand retains a strong identity.
Sights
Clermont-Ferrand's most famous public square is place de Jaude, on which stands a grand statue of Vercingetorix sitting imperiously on a horse and holding a glaive. The
inscription reads J'ai pris les armes pour la liberté de tous (I took to arms for the liberty of all).
Economy
The French tire manufacturer Michelin
created the tire and grew up from Clermont-Ferrand to become a worldwide leader in its industry. It has kept its headquarters in
the city.
Miscellaneous
Clermont-Ferrand's most famous figure is the mathematician and
philosopher Blaise
Pascal who tested Torricelli's hypothesis concerning the influence of gas
pressure on liquid equilibrium by running all the way from Clermont-Ferrand up to the Puy-de-Dôme. This is the famous experiment where a
vacuum is created in a mercury tube.
A racing circuit, the Charade Circuit, close to the city, using closed-off public roads held the
French Grand Prix in 1965, 1969,
1970 and 1972. It was a daunting circuit, with such harsh elevation changes that caused some drivers
to be ill as they drove. Winners included Jim
Clark, Jackie Stewart (twice), and Jochen Rindt.
Serge Godard is the current
Mayor of
the city.
Clermont-Ferrand hosts an annual international short film festival, which originated in 1979.
Births
Clermont-Ferrand was the birthplace of:
Twin towns
External links
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