Langres

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Coordinates: 47°51′48″N 5°20′02″E / 47.8633333333, 5.33388888889

Administration
Commune of Langres
Location

Country	France
Region	Champagne-Ardenne
Department	Haute-Marne (sous-préfecture)
Arrondissement	Langres
Canton	Langres (chief town)
Intercommunality	Communauté de communes de l'Étoile de Langres
Mayor	Christian Nolot (2001-2008)
Statistics
Elevation	327 m–475 m (avg. 475 m)
Land area^¹	22.33 km²
Population^² (1999)	9,586
- Density	429.3/km² (1999)
Miscellaneous
INSEE/Postal code	52269/ 52200
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.

Langres is a town and commune of eastern France. It is a subprefecture of the Haute-Marne departement, in the Champagne-Ardenne region.

1 History
2 Highlights
3 Miscellaneous
4 External links

[edit] History

See Bishopric of Langres for an ecclesiastical history of the city.

As the capital of the Romanized Gallic tribe the Lingones, it was called Andematunnum, then Lingones, and now Langres.

The town is built on a limestone promontory of the same name. This stronghold was originally occupied by the Gauls, and, at a later date the Romans fortified the town belonging to the Celtic tribe the Lingones; Andemantunum the strategic cross-roads of twelve Roman roads.^{[citation needed]} The 1st century Triumphal Gate and the many artefacts exhibited in the museums are witnesses to the Gallo-Roman town.

After the period of invasions, the town prospered in the Middle Ages due, in part, to the growing political influence of its bishops. The diocese covered Champagne, the Duchy of Burgundy and Franche-Comté, and the bishops gained the right to coin money in the 9th century and to name the military governor of the city in 927. The Bishop of Langres was a duke and peer of France. The troubled 14th and 15th centuries were reason enough for the town to strengthen its fortifications, which still give the old part of the city its fortified character, and Langres entered a period of royal tutelage. The Renaissance, which returned prosperty to the town, saw the construction of numerous fine civil, religious and military buildings that still stand today. In the 19th century, a "Vauban" citadel was added.

[edit] Highlights

Coat of arms of Langres:azur semé of fleurs-de-lys or, a saltire gules

Today Langres is a unique historical town with numerous art treasures within the ancient defensive walls surrounding the old city (3.5 km), including a dozen towers and seven gates.

The cathedral of Saint-Mammès is a late 12th-century structure dedicated to Mammes of Caesarea, a third-century martyr.

[edit] Miscellaneous

[edit] Products

Langres is home to producers of an AOC-protected cheese of the same name. It is a soft, pungent cow's milk cheese that is known for its rind, which is washed with champagne.