Toulon
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
|
Commune of Toulon | |
| Location | |
| Image:Toulon dot.png | |
| Coordinates | |
| Administration | |
|---|---|
| Country | France |
| Region | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur |
| Department | Var (préfecture) |
| Arrondissement | Toulon |
| Canton | Chief town of 9 cantons |
| Intercommunality | Communauté d'agglomération Toulon Provence Méditerranée |
| Mayor | Hubert Falco (2001-2008) |
| Statistics | |
| Elevation | 0 m–589 m (avg. 1 m) |
| Land area¹ | 42.84 km² |
| Population² (1999) | 168.639 |
| - Density | 3,750/km² (1999) |
| Miscellaneous | |
| INSEE/Postal code | 83137/ 83000 |
| 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: single count of residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel). | |
| Image:Flag of France.svg | |
Toulon (Provençal Occitan: Tolon in classical norm or Touloun in Mistralian norm) is a city in southern France and a large military harbour on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur région, Toulon is the préfecture (capital) of the Var département, in the former province of Provence.
The population of the city (commune) at the 2004 estimate was 168,639 inhabitants. The population of the whole metropolitan area (in French: aire urbaine) at the 2007 estimate was 608,189 inhabitants.
Toulon is an important centre for naval construction, fishing, wine making, and the manufacture of aeronautical equipment, armaments, maps, paper, tobacco, printing, shoes, and electronic equipment.
Contents |
[edit] History
In ancient times the area of Toulon was colonized by the Ligures, and was called Telo Martius by the Romans after their colonization. They had a naval signal station on the gulf shores. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire it was frequently attacked by Saracen pirates.
following the attachment of Provence to the crown of France Toulon at the time of King Charles VIII of France became a site of naval constructions, starting also its traditional military role.
Toulon was used as an Ottoman naval base under admiral Barbarossa during the winter of 1543-1544. To facilitate the Turkish crews, the Christian population had been evacuated.
The military harbour was later fortified by Cardinal Richelieu, Jean-Baptiste Colbert and Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban. It witnessed the naval Battle of Toulon (1707), part of the War of Spanish Succession, and the Battle of Toulon (1744). In 1720 the city was ravaged by bubonic plague which spread from Marseille; half the city's population perished.
Napoleon Bonaparte rose to fame after his decisive role at the Siege of Toulon in 1793.
After the Allied landings in North Africa (Operation Torch) the German Army occupied southern France (Case Anton), leading to the scuttling of the French Fleet at Toulon 27 November 1942.
Today, Toulon is the major naval center on France's Mediterranean coast home of the French Navy aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle and her battle group. The French Mediterranean Fleet is based in Toulon.
[edit] Ecclesiastical history
- See also diocese of Toulon.
The legend which states that a certain Cleon accompanied St. Lazarus to Gaul and was the founder of the Church of Toulon, is based on a fourteenth century forgery that was pseudepigraphically ascribed to a sixth-century bishop named Didier.
Honoratus and Gratianus (Gratien), according to the Gallia Christiana, were the first bishops of Toulon whose names are known to history, but Louis Duchesne gives Augustalis as the first historical bishop. He assisted at councils in 441 and 442 and signed in 449 and 450 the letters addressed to Pope Leo I from the province of Arles.
A Saint Cyprian, disciple and biographer of St. Cæsarius of Arles, is also mentioned as a Bishop of Toulon. His episcopate, begun in 524, had not come to an end in 541; he converted to Catholicism two Visigothic chiefs, Mandrier and Flavian, who became anchorites and martyrs on the peninsula of Mandrier.
[edit] Main sights
Much of the historical town was destroyed during World War II. Site remainings include:
- Toulon Cathedral, (Cathedral of Notre Dame-de-la-Seds), founded in 1096 [1]
- The Toulon Opera
- The Tour royale.
- The Watch Tower.
- National Museum of the Navy.
- Museums of Art and Asian Arts.
[edit] Culture
Toulon is home to the largest High School of France (Lycée Dumont D'Urville) and the largest opera house after Paris.
[edit] Literary
Toulon figures prominently in Victor Hugo's Les Misérables. It is the location of the infamous prison in which the protagonist Jean Valjean spends 19 years in hard labour. Toulon is also the birthplace of the novel's antagonist, Javert, and the place where Valjean and Javert first meet.
[edit] Gastronomy
Local food highlights include:
- cuisine from the Mediterranean and from Provence
- the cade toulonnaise, a speciality composed of chickpea flour
- the Chichi Frégi, a type of donut from Provence.
[edit] Sport
The region is famous for being the host of the finals of the annual Toulon Tournament - a football tournament of under 20 national players from around the whole world. The city's top football club is Sporting Toulon Var, currently playing in the third level of French Football (Championnat National). Famous players such as David Ginola, Delio Onis, Jean Tigana, Christian Dalger or more recently Sebastien Squillacci formerly played for Sporting.
The region is home to rugby union club RC Toulon, currently playing in Rugby Pro D2 at the Stade Mayol and Hyères-Toulon Var Basket, playing at the top of the Pro A.
[edit] Events
[edit] Cultural events
[edit] Sports
- National Football French Championship
- Basketball French Championship Pro A
- Women Handball French Championship
- Hockey French Championship
- Rugby French Championship Pro D2
- Toulon tournament in football
[edit] Famous people
Toulon was the birthplace of:
- Jean Joseph Marie Amiot, Jesuit
- Capucine, actress
- Félix Mayol, singer and entertainer
- Raimu, actor
- Gilbert Bécaud, singer
- Mireille Darc, actress
[edit] Bibliography
- Maurice Arreckx, Vivre sa ville, Paris, La Table ronde, 1982 ; Toulon, ma passion, 1985
- Jean-Pierre Thiollet, Le Chevallier à découvert, Paris, Laurens, 1998
[edit] Twin cities
- Image:Flag of Italy.svg La Spezia, Italy, since 1958
- Image:Flag of Germany.svg Mannheim, Germany, since 1958
- Image:Flag of the United States.svg Norfolk, USA, since 1988
- Image:Flag of Russia.svg Kronstadt, Russia, since 1996
- Image:Flag of Morocco.svg Khemisset, Morocco, since 2005
[edit] External links
- Yaquoi, Toulon's cultural webzine.
- Toulonnais.com : the monuments, the history, the plans of the city of Toulon. Many photographes inside.
- Toulon information
- Cuverville, Toulon's satirical paper
- Le Mourillon d'antan, views of Le Mourillon district through old post cards, history of Arsenal du Mourillon.
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