Poitiers is a city of just shy of 100,000 people in center-west France, some 210 miles/340 kilometers south-west of Paris. The city is has a very long and rich history, and here, Konstant Teleshov provides an overview of that history and tells us about the key sites to explore should you visit the city.
Poitiers in the 16th century.
The city of Poitiers in France has a wide variety of sites to visit - many royal palaces, churches and castles, battlefields, and historical areas. It is one of the oldest cities in France and a prime example of how the history of France and Europe is centuries long and eventful. Poitiers is located in one of the western departments of the French Republic called Vienne. This historical area is called Poitou. Poitiers has been an ordinary provincial French city for many centuries. The economic rise of the city occurred in the 1970s and 1980s.
There were 3 important battles for France and Europe there. Every native of this city knows such historical personalities as Eleanor Aquitaine, Joan of Arc and Richard the Lionheart. Both ruled the city at different times.
Today Poitiers is the historical, cultural, economic and spiritual center of the western part of France.
What else is famous and wonderful in this city? Read on to find out.
Foundation and Gallo - Roman period
The founding of Poitiers occurred in the second century BC. The city was named Piktaviy. It was founded by one of the Gallic tribes - the pictones. The location for the future city was chosen perfectly, on the Poitevinian Plateau, which is a natural corridor between the south and the north of the country.
The young settlement rapidly developed. In parallel with this, the power of the Roman Empire grew. The great Roman commander Julius Caesar captured Piktaviy In 51 BC. Gaul became a Roman province for several centuries.
The territory of Poitiers increased significantly during the time of Roman rule. Every tourist can feel the spirit of the Roman era if they visit a ruined aqueduct (an aqueduct is a Roman water conduit for supplying water to a settlement).
The active construction of churches began in the fourth century, and the city became the real spiritual center of Gaul. The most striking example is the Baptistery of St. John the Baptist. This is an old monument from the period of early Christianity.
The first church building was erected in the middle of the fourth century on the remains of Roman buildings, further changes in its image and structure were made in the era of the Merovingians. The initiator of the construction of the baptistery was the famous theologian and bishop Hilarius of Pictavi. Construction started in 360 AD. Later on, the Bishops Quarter grew around this building. Frescoes, which were painted in the Middle Ages, have been preserved on the walls of the former Baptistery. They depict the Ascension of the Lord, scenes from the life of John the Baptist, the evangelists Luke, Matthew, John and Mark, and the Byzantine emperor Constantine. The facade of the building is interesting as an example of the Merovingian style of art; marble, stucco and elements of ancient architecture that were used in its decoration.
Tourists can find some historical monuments of the Roman era in the museum of Saint - Croix. The museum contains works of art, the most ancient of which date back to Gallo - Roman times, and the latest ones were created in the 20th century.
Poitiers in the Dark Ages
Poitiers fell under the influence of the Visigoths after the fall of the Roman Empire. From this moment begins the most intense chapter in the history of Poitiers.
Due to the geographical location described above, many military campaigns were made through Poitiers. In 507, a battle took place near Poitiers between the Franks and the Visigoths as part of the West Gothic War. The Franks won a major victory and King Hlodvig I annexed the lands of southern Gaul for his state.
This stage of the history of the city is characterized by the first mention of the church of St. Radegund. Initially, the building served as the burial area for the nuns of the abbey. The construction of the modern church began in 1083 after a fire. The interior of the church has preserved original stained glass windows dating from the 13th century, but it has not been possible to preserve medieval wall frescoes.
The museum is located on the site of St. Croix Abbey in the 21st century. The remains of the celestial patroness of Poitiers and closest ally, St. Agnes, are stored in an underground crypt.
Two centuries later, the city became the center of another battle, which many historians consider the most important in the history of the Christendom. The Umayyad Caliphate troops did not stop after the conquest of Spain, they moved east to Aquitaine. Having ransacked the area, they moved to Gaul. They met at the Battle of Poitiers with an army of Franks under the leadership of Charles Martel on October 10, 732. The fate of Christendom depended on the result of this battle.
The Franks defeated the Arabs, who remained in Spain for several centuries, where they greatly influenced the development of the culture.
The city became the residence of the Counts of Poitiers at the beginning of a period of feudal fragmentation at the end of the 9th century. Then, Poitiers came into the Plantagenet's possessions after Eleanor of Aquitaine married Henry II of the Plantagenet in 1152. The city received commune rights in 1199. In 1204 it was captured by the French king, Philip II. Poitiers officially became a part of the royal domain after the signing of a peace treaty between France and England in 1259.
It was only in the 8th century when the Palace of Justice was mentioned in historical sources for the first time. This palace was erected by Charlemagne for his son, Louis I the Pious, on the ruins of Roman buildings. The castle was owned by the Counts of Poitiers for several centuries after the death of Louis. There was a terrible fire in the palace In the 11th century that almost destroyed the building.
A new castle was built fairly quickly. It contained the largest dining room in Europe, which many people called "a quiet walk in the hall". The court began to hold all kinds of court sessions from the 15th century, especially during the French Revolution.
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages brought Poitiers many troubles. For example, one of the battles of the first stage of the Hundred Years War between England and France took place near the city on September 19, 1356.
French troops suffered a defeat at the hands of the English Army. Many prominent people were killed in this battle. The French king, John II the Good, and his youngest son, Philip the Brave, were captured. England and France signed a ceasefire for 2 years.
This defeat was the cause of a large peasant uprising - Jacquerie. It was in the early summer of 1358. This event affected Poitiers, where the aristocracy was forced to hide in churches from angry peasants.
During the Middle Ages many current day sites appeared in Poitiers. Here is a brief description of some of them:
1) Church of Notre Dame la Grand
The first evidence of the existence of the Church of Notre Dame la Grande dates back to the 10th century, but in one of its walls there are traces of ancient stone masonry. The church was called Saint Marie Major in the 10th century. In the next century, the church building was completely rebuilt in the Romanesque style and consecrated in 1086 by Urban II.
The features of the church include an ancient underground crypt and frescoes. The interior of the church is richly decorated with stone carvings, statues of saints, apostles and local bishops, woodcarvings and high reliefs. Many legends of the Hundred Years War are associated with this building.
2) Cathedral of Saint - Pierre
This cathedral was built near the baptistery of St. John and the church of Notre Dame la Grande. The initiator of the construction of the temple was Henry II Plantagenet. He also financed the work from his own funds.
The church is considered an example of a special architectural direction - the Angevin Gothic. The main feature of this style is high arches.
The apse of the cathedral is decorated with a 12th century stained glass window, which depicts a crucifix surrounded by saints and people. The interior of the temple preserves carved antique furniture and an altar of the Baroque era.
3) Church of St. Hilary
It is one of the oldest religious buildings in Poitiers. Construction was carried out in the 10th to 11th centuries in the tradition of the Romanesque style. The church is decorated with frescoes and carved capitals of the Romanesque period. In the Middle Ages, the church became one of the pilgrimage churches located on the path of St. James, ultimately leading to the Spanish city of Santiago de Compostela. Currently, the church of Saint Hilaire is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
This is the place where theologians were interrogated and Joan of Arc tortured by order of the dauphin Charles in 1429.
You should also see the following buildings of this era: the church of Saint Jean de Montierneuf, the Fume mansion, and the church of Saint Hiller le Grande.
In 1432, King Charles VII opened a university in Poitiers. It is one of the oldest in France.
Modern times and contemporary history
Poitiers was unsuccessfully besieged by the Huguenots during the Religious Wars in 1569. The city was part of the Catholic League and recognized the legitimate king as Henry IV in 1594.
In more modern times architectural structures continue to appear in Poitiers. These were mainly houses for the nobles and the new nobility.
Among them it is worth highlighting:
1) Church of Saint Jean de Montieren;
2) Church of Saint Porsche;
3) Museum of Reper de Chevre.
The city chapel, which was built in the 8th century, was significantly reconstructed during this period.
Poitiers survived the French Revolution relatively well as few symbols of the old monarchy in the city were destroyed.
In the 19th and 20th centuries these buildings were constructed:
1) Place Marechal Leclerc;
2) City Hall;
3) Prefecture building.
Art lovers would to visit the Chevre Museum, which is located on the street of Victor Hugo. There are paintings of Dutch and Flemish artists of the 16th to 18th centuries, as well as furniture of the period. Today the museum is a monument to the history and architecture of France.
Poitiers was occupied by German troops during the Second World War. The city was bombed by the Allies and liberated on September 5, 1944.
As described at the beginning of the article, Poitiers had been a small provincial town for many years. Several large companies set-up here in the 1970s and 1980s. This significantly revived the city's economic activity. Today it is the center of an agglomeration of 11 suburbs and the main city of the New Aquitaine region.
Finally, there are several parks and gardens to relax in:
1) Park Blok;
2) Botanical garden;
3) Flower garden.
With that in mind, I hope you make a tri[ to Poitiers – it will be worth it!
What do you think of Poitiers’ history? Let us know below.
