Digne-les-Bains
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Commune of Digne-les-Bains |
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| Location | |
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| Administration | |
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| Country | France |
| Region | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur |
| Department | Alpes-de-Haute-Provence |
| Arrondissement | Digne-les-Bains |
| Intercommunality | Trois Vallées |
| Mayor | Serge Gloaguen (2001-2008) |
| Statistics | |
| Elevation | 524 m–1,731 m (avg. 608 m) |
| Land area¹ | 117.07 km² |
| Population² (1999) |
16,064 |
| - Density | 137/km² (1999) |
| Miscellaneous | |
| INSEE/Postal code | 04070/ 04000 |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
| 2 Population sans doubles comptes: residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) only counted once. | |
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Digne-les-Bains or simply and historically Digne (Occitan: Dinha in classical norm or Digno in Mistralian norm) is a commune of France, capital of the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department.
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[edit] History
Dignes les Bains dates back to the neolithic era and became a frequent commercial stop during the Roman era. Since then, the commune has been noted for being a primary center of the lavender trade.
[edit] Ecclesiastical history
Digne was evangelized by Saints Domninus and Vincentius who came from Africa in the second half of the fourth century with St. Marcellinus, the Apostle of Embrun, and the town became the centre of a diocese, the Diocese of Digne, whose bishops are seated at Digne Cathedral. The first historically known bishop was Pentadius who attended the Council of Agde in 506.
[edit] Miscellaneous
Victor Hugo's novel Les Misérables begins in Digne. The asteroid 10088 Digne was named after the town by its discoverer, Belgian astronomer Eric Walter Elst.
[edit] Twin Towns
- Bad Mergentheim, Germany
- Borgomanero, Italy
[edit] Famous People
- Alain Boghossian, French Footballer, part of the French National side that won the FIFA World Cup 1998
- Pierre Gassendi, French philosopher, scientist, astronomer/astrologer
- Alexandra David-Néel, French explorer, spiritualist, writer
- Alphonse Beau de Rochas, French engineer
[edit] See also
[edit] Sources and external links
- City council website (in French)
- Tourist office website (in French)
- Picture of Digne Cathedral
- Map and Information
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