Angers
Encyclopedia
Angers is the main city in the Maine-et-Loire
department in western France about 300 km (186.4 mi) south-west of Paris. Angers is located in the French region known by its pre-revolutionary, provincial name, Anjou
, and its inhabitants are called Angevins.
Angers proper has a population of 157,000 inhabitants, while c. 283,000 live in its metropolitan area. The city traces its roots to early Roman
times. It occupies both banks of the Maine
, which is spanned by six bridges. The district along the river has flourishing nurseries and market gardens. It is known for its fresh produce and cut flowers.
dated back to 400,000 BCE (Lower Paleolithic
).
The earliest known inhabitants were the Andecavi
, a Gallic tribe
that was overrun by the Romans
. The city, while under Roman rule, was called Juliomagus.
The Council of Angers was held here in 453.
The city suffered severely from the invasions of the Vikings in 845 and succeeding years.
Angers was once the capital of the historic province of Anjou
. Beginning in the 9th century, the region was controlled by a powerful family of feudal lords. It is the cradle of the House of Plantagenet
who ruled England from the twelfth century and gave name to the Angevin
Kings of England. During this time the Hospital of Saint-Jean was built in Angers by King Henry II of England
. The edifice still stands to this day, now housing an important museum. In 1204 Angers was conquered by King Philippe II
.
An enormous castle, the Château d'Angers
, was built during the minority of Louis IX ("Saint Louis") in the early part of the 13th century. In 1352, John II le Bon, gave the château to his son, Louis I. Married to the daughter of the wealthy Duke of Brittany, Louis I had the château modified, and in 1373 commissioned the famous Apocalypse Tapestry from the painter Hennequin de Bruges and the Parisian tapestry-weaver Nicolas Bataille.
In the early 15th century, the dauphin who became King Charles VII, had to flee Paris and was given sanctuary at the Château D'Angers. Louis II and Yolande d'Aragon added a chapel (1405–12) and royal apartments to the castle. The chapel is a sainte chapelle, the name given to churches which enshrined a relic of the Passion. The relic at Angers was a splinter of the fragment of the True Cross which had been acquired by Louis IX.
The Huguenot
s took the city of Angers in 1585, and the Vendean royalists were defeated nearby in 1793 during the siege of Angers
. Until the French Revolution
Angers was the seat of a celebrated university founded in the 14th century.
During the 16th and 17th centuries the Château D'Angers served originally as a defensive castle, and later as a military training school. The military role of the Chateau D'Angers castle was revived in the 20th century when it was used by the Nazi government of Germany to store arms, ammunition, and explosives. During the war, the latter exploded, causing significant amounts of damage to the castle.
, the city is also noted for the impressive twin spires of the twelfth-century Cathedral of Saint-Maurice. Other noteworthy churches around Angers include St. Serge, an abbey-church of the 12th and 15th centuries, and the twelfth-century La Trinité Cathedral.
The elaborately sculptured eleventh and 12th century arcades of the famous abbey of Saint Aubin
survive in the courtyard of the Prefecture and Hotel . The tower of the abbey church has also survived nearby
Ruins of the old churches of Toussaint (13th century) and Notre-Dame du Ronceray (eleventh century) are also nearby. The ancient hospital of St. Jean
(twelfth century) is occupied by Jean Lurcat's tapestries. The Logis Barrault, a mansion built in 1486–92, houses the Musee des Beaux-Arts, which has a large collection of paintings and sculptures. In 1984 the former abbey church of Toussaint became the Musee David d'Angers consisting of works by the sculptor David d'Angers
, who was a native of the town. In the middle of a main boulevard near the museum stands his bronze statue
of René of Anjou, who was born in the chateau of Angers.
The Hôtel de Pincé or d'Anjou (1523–1530) is the finest of the stone mansions of Angers. There are also many curious wooden houses of the fifteenth and 16th centuries. The Palais de Justice, the Catholic Institute, a fine theatre, and a hospital with 1500 beds are the more remarkable of the modern buildings of the town. Angers is the seat of a bishopric, dating from the 3rd century; a prefecture; a court of appeal; and a court of assizes (criminal courts). It has a tribunal of first instance, a tribunal of commerce, a board of trade-arbitrators, a chamber of commerce
, a branch of the Bank of France
, and several learned societies.
for that year included the distillation of liqueurs from fruit (Cointreau
, a brand of triple sec orange liqueur, is produced to this day in Saint-Barthélemy-d'Anjou, a suburb of Angers); cable, rope, and thread-making; the manufacture of boots, shoes, umbrellas, and parasols; weaving of sail-cloth and fabrics; machine construction; wire-drawing; and the manufacture of sparkling wine
s and preserved fruits. The chief articles of commerce, besides slate and manufactured goods
, were hemp, early vegetables, fruit, flowers, and live-stock.
Many of these industries in 1911 have since disappeared, though Cointreau continues to produce liqueur. Other contemporary industries include the manufacturing of lorries (Scania) and computers (Bull
, Packard-Bell, NEC
) as well as research in horticulture and biotechnologies.
to Paris (c. 295 km) and to Nantes
(c. 90 km). Gare d'Angers-Saint-Laud
railway station has a direct TGV
service to Paris (1 hour 35 minutes). The nearest airport is Angers - Loire Airport
.
In 1850 a catastrophic failure
of the Angers Bridge
caused the deaths of over 200 soldiers. The disaster inhibited the construction of suspension bridge
s in France for two decades.
Angers inaugurated a new light rail
system on 25 June 2011. The tramway consists of one 12 km (7.46 mi) line with 25 stops. The line runs from Avrillé-Ardenne in the North to Angers-Roseraie in the south. Service is provided by Keolis using 17 Alstom Citadis trams.
), shared with Nantes, a local theatre NTA (Nouveau Théatre d'Angers) and a dance school
CNDC (Centre National de Danse Contemporaine).
Angers has a few important museums on the national level:
Angers is an important center for tapestries, especially contemporary tapestry.
It calls itself the "most flowered city in Europe", and its displays of live and cut flowers are stunning. The city's Jardin des Plantes d'Angers
and Jardin botanique de la Faculté de Pharmacie d'Angers
are a historic botanical garden
s, and its Arboretum Gaston Allard
is a major arboretum
. It is also well known for being the seat of important cultural events, such as the film festival Premiers Plans
, Tour de Scènes (free concerts in the streets) and Les Accroche-Coeurs (free street festival
).
(CIDEF), which provides college students from around the world with college-level course instruction in the French language. The town is also home to a state university, the University of Angers
.
Angers's other educational institutions include lycées; training colleges, an engineering school in manufacturing (ENSAM
), an engineering school in electronics and computer science (ESEO), and a school of fine art
. Its education and research institute
s are the driving force behind the city's science and technology industries.
Angers's Business School is ESSCA (Ecole Superieure des Sciences Commerciales d'Angers). Formerly part of the UCO, the school's program is of a duration of five years. ESSCA is recruiting students after the Baccalaureat.
In addition to French schools and universities, an American university St. Edward's University
has new expanding campus in Angers. St. Edward’s University is a diverse, Catholic liberal arts institution from Austin, TX. The university has a partnership with UCO, and offers a variety of courses of undergraduate level and professional training.
with: Haarlem
, Netherlands, since 1964 Osnabrück
, Germany, since 1964 Bamako
, Mali, since 1974 Pisa
, Italy, since 1982 Wigan
, United Kingdom, since 1988 Södertälje
, Sweden, since 1998 Seville
, Spain, since 2000 Yantai
, China, since 2006
Maine-et-Loire
Maine-et-Loire is a department in west-central France, in the Pays de la Loire region.- History :Maine-et-Loire is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. Originally it was called Mayenne-et-Loire, but its name was changed to Maine-et-Loire in 1791....
department in western France about 300 km (186.4 mi) south-west of Paris. Angers is located in the French region known by its pre-revolutionary, provincial name, Anjou
Anjou
Anjou is a former county , duchy and province centred on the city of Angers in the lower Loire Valley of western France. It corresponds largely to the present-day département of Maine-et-Loire...
, and its inhabitants are called Angevins.
Angers proper has a population of 157,000 inhabitants, while c. 283,000 live in its metropolitan area. The city traces its roots to early Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
times. It occupies both banks of the Maine
Maine River
La Maine is a river , a tributary of the Loire, 12 km long, in the Maine-et-Loire département in France....
, which is spanned by six bridges. The district along the river has flourishing nurseries and market gardens. It is known for its fresh produce and cut flowers.
History
The first sign of human presence on the site of Angers is a stone toolStone tool
A stone tool is, in the most general sense, any tool made either partially or entirely out of stone. Although stone tool-dependent societies and cultures still exist today, most stone tools are associated with prehistoric, particularly Stone Age cultures that have become extinct...
dated back to 400,000 BCE (Lower Paleolithic
Lower Paleolithic
The Lower Paleolithic is the earliest subdivision of the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age. It spans the time from around 2.5 million years ago when the first evidence of craft and use of stone tools by hominids appears in the current archaeological record, until around 300,000 years ago, spanning the...
).
The earliest known inhabitants were the Andecavi
Andes (Andecavi)
The Andecavi or Andegavi, also Andes in Julius Caesar's Bellum Gallicum, were a people of ancient and medieval Aremorica...
, a Gallic tribe
Gauls
The Gauls were a Celtic people living in Gaul, the region roughly corresponding to what is now France, Belgium, Switzerland and Northern Italy, from the Iron Age through the Roman period. They mostly spoke the Continental Celtic language called Gaulish....
that was overrun by the Romans
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
. The city, while under Roman rule, was called Juliomagus.
The Council of Angers was held here in 453.
The city suffered severely from the invasions of the Vikings in 845 and succeeding years.
Angers was once the capital of the historic province of Anjou
Anjou
Anjou is a former county , duchy and province centred on the city of Angers in the lower Loire Valley of western France. It corresponds largely to the present-day département of Maine-et-Loire...
. Beginning in the 9th century, the region was controlled by a powerful family of feudal lords. It is the cradle of the House of Plantagenet
House of Plantagenet
The House of Plantagenet , a branch of the Angevins, was a royal house founded by Geoffrey V of Anjou, father of Henry II of England. Plantagenet kings first ruled the Kingdom of England in the 12th century. Their paternal ancestors originated in the French province of Gâtinais and gained the...
who ruled England from the twelfth century and gave name to the Angevin
House of Plantagenet
The House of Plantagenet , a branch of the Angevins, was a royal house founded by Geoffrey V of Anjou, father of Henry II of England. Plantagenet kings first ruled the Kingdom of England in the 12th century. Their paternal ancestors originated in the French province of Gâtinais and gained the...
Kings of England. During this time the Hospital of Saint-Jean was built in Angers by King Henry II of England
Henry II of England
Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
. The edifice still stands to this day, now housing an important museum. In 1204 Angers was conquered by King Philippe II
Philip II of France
Philip II Augustus was the King of France from 1180 until his death. A member of the House of Capet, Philip Augustus was born at Gonesse in the Val-d'Oise, the son of Louis VII and his third wife, Adela of Champagne...
.
An enormous castle, the Château d'Angers
Château d'Angers
The Château d'Angers is a fortress style château located in the Loire Valley that is home of the Apocalypse Tapestry.- Building description :...
, was built during the minority of Louis IX ("Saint Louis") in the early part of the 13th century. In 1352, John II le Bon, gave the château to his son, Louis I. Married to the daughter of the wealthy Duke of Brittany, Louis I had the château modified, and in 1373 commissioned the famous Apocalypse Tapestry from the painter Hennequin de Bruges and the Parisian tapestry-weaver Nicolas Bataille.
In the early 15th century, the dauphin who became King Charles VII, had to flee Paris and was given sanctuary at the Château D'Angers. Louis II and Yolande d'Aragon added a chapel (1405–12) and royal apartments to the castle. The chapel is a sainte chapelle, the name given to churches which enshrined a relic of the Passion. The relic at Angers was a splinter of the fragment of the True Cross which had been acquired by Louis IX.
The Huguenot
Huguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
s took the city of Angers in 1585, and the Vendean royalists were defeated nearby in 1793 during the siege of Angers
Siege of Angers
The Siege of Angers was a siege of the French town of Angers on 3 December 1793 in the War in the Vendée.-Background:Pushed back at Granville, the Vendéens hoped to reach the south of the Loire to which the path was open thanks to their victory in the Battle of Dol. On 23 November, the Vendéen...
. Until the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
Angers was the seat of a celebrated university founded in the 14th century.
During the 16th and 17th centuries the Château D'Angers served originally as a defensive castle, and later as a military training school. The military role of the Chateau D'Angers castle was revived in the 20th century when it was used by the Nazi government of Germany to store arms, ammunition, and explosives. During the war, the latter exploded, causing significant amounts of damage to the castle.
Main sights
In addition to the massive Château d'AngersChâteau d'Angers
The Château d'Angers is a fortress style château located in the Loire Valley that is home of the Apocalypse Tapestry.- Building description :...
, the city is also noted for the impressive twin spires of the twelfth-century Cathedral of Saint-Maurice. Other noteworthy churches around Angers include St. Serge, an abbey-church of the 12th and 15th centuries, and the twelfth-century La Trinité Cathedral.
The elaborately sculptured eleventh and 12th century arcades of the famous abbey of Saint Aubin
Albinus of Angers
Saint Albinus of Angers was a French abbot and bishop. Born to a noble Gallo-Roman family at Vannes, Brittany, St. Albinus was a monk and afterwards Abbot of Tintillac . His reputation spread during the twenty-five years in which he served as abbot. In 529, St...
survive in the courtyard of the Prefecture and Hotel . The tower of the abbey church has also survived nearby
Ruins of the old churches of Toussaint (13th century) and Notre-Dame du Ronceray (eleventh century) are also nearby. The ancient hospital of St. Jean
Saint-Jean
Saint-Jean is the name or part of the name of several places and of people:- In Canada :*Lac Saint-Jean*Lac-Saint-Jean-Est County Regional Municipality, Quebec*L'Anse-Saint-Jean, Quebec...
(twelfth century) is occupied by Jean Lurcat's tapestries. The Logis Barrault, a mansion built in 1486–92, houses the Musee des Beaux-Arts, which has a large collection of paintings and sculptures. In 1984 the former abbey church of Toussaint became the Musee David d'Angers consisting of works by the sculptor David d'Angers
Pierre Jean David
Pierre-Jean David , usually called David d'Angers, was a French sculptor.He was born at Angers. His father was a sculptor or a mason, but had gone into the army as a musketeer, fighting against the Chouans of La Vendée. He returned to his trade at the end of the civil war to find his customers...
, who was a native of the town. In the middle of a main boulevard near the museum stands his bronze statue
Bronze sculpture
Bronze is the most popular metal for cast metal sculptures; a cast bronze sculpture is often called simply a "bronze".Common bronze alloys have the unusual and desirable property of expanding slightly just before they set, thus filling the finest details of a mold. Then, as the bronze cools, it...
of René of Anjou, who was born in the chateau of Angers.
The Hôtel de Pincé or d'Anjou (1523–1530) is the finest of the stone mansions of Angers. There are also many curious wooden houses of the fifteenth and 16th centuries. The Palais de Justice, the Catholic Institute, a fine theatre, and a hospital with 1500 beds are the more remarkable of the modern buildings of the town. Angers is the seat of a bishopric, dating from the 3rd century; a prefecture; a court of appeal; and a court of assizes (criminal courts). It has a tribunal of first instance, a tribunal of commerce, a board of trade-arbitrators, a chamber of commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
, a branch of the Bank of France
Banque de France
The Banque de France is the central bank of France; it is linked to the European Central Bank . Its main charge is to implement the interest rate policy of the European System of Central Banks...
, and several learned societies.
Economy
The early prosperity of the town is largely due to the nearby quarries of slate, whose abundant use for the roofs of Angers led to the city's nickname, the "Black City" (or "La ville noire", in French). As of 1911, existing industries noted in the Encyclopædia BritannicaEncyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition
The Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition is a 29-volume reference work, an edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica. It was developed during the encyclopaedia's transition from a British to an American publication. Some of its articles were written by the best-known scholars of the time...
for that year included the distillation of liqueurs from fruit (Cointreau
Cointreau
Cointreau is a brand of triple sec produced in Saint-Barthélemy-d'Anjou, France. It is drunk as an apéritif and digestif, and is a component of several well-known cocktails. It was originally called "Curaçao Blanco Triple Sec".-Production:...
, a brand of triple sec orange liqueur, is produced to this day in Saint-Barthélemy-d'Anjou, a suburb of Angers); cable, rope, and thread-making; the manufacture of boots, shoes, umbrellas, and parasols; weaving of sail-cloth and fabrics; machine construction; wire-drawing; and the manufacture of sparkling wine
Sparkling wine
Sparkling wine is a wine with significant levels of carbon dioxide in it making it fizzy. The carbon dioxide may result from natural fermentation, either in a bottle, as with the méthode champenoise, in a large tank designed to withstand the pressures involved , or as a result of carbon dioxide...
s and preserved fruits. The chief articles of commerce, besides slate and manufactured goods
Final good
In economics final goods are goods that are ultimately consumed rather than used in the production of another good. For example, a car sold to a consumer is a final good; the components such as tires sold to the car manufacturer are not; they are intermediate goods used to make the final good.When...
, were hemp, early vegetables, fruit, flowers, and live-stock.
Many of these industries in 1911 have since disappeared, though Cointreau continues to produce liqueur. Other contemporary industries include the manufacturing of lorries (Scania) and computers (Bull
Groupe Bull
-External links:* * — Friends, co-workers and former employees of Bull and Honeywell* *...
, Packard-Bell, NEC
NEC
, a Japanese multinational IT company, has its headquarters in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. NEC, part of the Sumitomo Group, provides information technology and network solutions to business enterprises, communications services providers and government....
) as well as research in horticulture and biotechnologies.
Transport
Angers is connected by A11 autorouteA11 autoroute
The A11 autoroute is a motorway which connects Paris with Nantes via Le Mans and Angers. It is called L'Océane .- Regions crossed :The following list indexes the sites worth visiting within 14 km of the road.* Paris* Chartres* Le Mans...
to Paris (c. 295 km) and to Nantes
Nantes
Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
(c. 90 km). Gare d'Angers-Saint-Laud
Gare d'Angers-Saint-Laud
Gare d'Angers-Saint-Laud is the main railway station serving the city Angers, Maine-et-Loire department, western France.It is situated on the Le Mans–Angers railway and the Tours–Saint-Nazaire railway.-Services:...
railway station has a direct TGV
TGV
The TGV is France's high-speed rail service, currently operated by SNCF Voyages, the long-distance rail branch of SNCF, the French national rail operator....
service to Paris (1 hour 35 minutes). The nearest airport is Angers - Loire Airport
Angers - Loire Airport
Angers – Loire Airport or Aéroport de Angers - Loire is an airport located 20 km northeast of Angers, in Marcé, both communes of the Maine-et-Loire département in the Pays de la Loire région of France. It is also known as Angers-Marcé Airport or Aéroport d'Angers-Marcé.-External links:* *...
.
In 1850 a catastrophic failure
Catastrophic failure
A catastrophic failure is a sudden and total failure of some system from which recovery is impossible. Catastrophic failures often lead to cascading systems failure....
of the Angers Bridge
Angers Bridge
Angers Bridge, also called the Basse-Chaîne Bridge, was a suspension bridge over the Maine River in Angers, France. It was designed by Joseph Chaley and Bordillon, and built between 1836 and 1839...
caused the deaths of over 200 soldiers. The disaster inhibited the construction of suspension bridge
Suspension bridge
A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the deck is hung below suspension cables on vertical suspenders. Outside Tibet and Bhutan, where the first examples of this type of bridge were built in the 15th century, this type of bridge dates from the early 19th century...
s in France for two decades.
Angers inaugurated a new light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
system on 25 June 2011. The tramway consists of one 12 km (7.46 mi) line with 25 stops. The line runs from Avrillé-Ardenne in the North to Angers-Roseraie in the south. Service is provided by Keolis using 17 Alstom Citadis trams.
Culture
Angers has an orchestra, ONPL (Orchestre National des Pays de la LoireOrchestre National des Pays de la Loire
The Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire is a French symphony orchestra based in Angers and Nantes, France. The orchestra receives support from the Regional Council of the Pays de la Loire....
), shared with Nantes, a local theatre NTA (Nouveau Théatre d'Angers) and a dance school
Dance studio
A dance studio is a space in which dancers learn or rehearse. The term is typically used to describe a space that has either been built or equipped for the purpose....
CNDC (Centre National de Danse Contemporaine).
Angers has a few important museums on the national level:
- "Musée des Beaux-Arts" (Art & Sculpture, the permanent collections: 14th to the present) has just reopened, after five years of work.
- "Galerie David d'Angers", which is consecrated to the 19th century sculptor David d'Angers.
- "Musée Pincé", which holds a collection of Classical art, as well as Egyptian, Etruscan, Japanese and Chinese.
- "Musée Jean LurçatJean LurçatJean Lurçat was a French artist noted for his role in the revival of contemporary tapestry.-Biography:He was born in Bruyères, Vosges, the son of Lucien Jean Baptiste Lurçat and Marie Emilie Marguerite L'Hote. He was the brother of André Lurçat, who became an architect...
et de la Tapisserie contemporaine", is a tapestry museum. The famous tapestry series "Le chant du Monde" by Jean Lurçat is in the ancient Hôpital St-Jean, the oldest hospital in France, while another modern building holds the contemporary collections, and also other works by Jean Lurçat. - The Apocalypse Tapestry, or "the tapestries of the Apocalypse", originally made for Louis I d'Anjou in the fourteenth century, are today in the Château d'Angers after their restoration.
- Muséum d’histoire naturelle d’AngersMuséum d’histoire naturelle d’AngersMuséum d’histoire naturelle d’Angers is a French natural history museum in the Hôtel Demarie-Valentin, in Angers. It contains 100,000 specimens and documents, including 2,500 birds, 20,000 molluscs, and 50,000 fossils...
is an important natural history museum in the "Hôtel Demarie-Valentin", dating from 1521.
Angers is an important center for tapestries, especially contemporary tapestry.
It calls itself the "most flowered city in Europe", and its displays of live and cut flowers are stunning. The city's Jardin des Plantes d'Angers
Jardin des Plantes d'Angers
The Jardin des Plantes d'Angers is a municipal park and botanical garden located on Place Pierre Mendès France, Angers, Maine-et-Loire, Pays de la Loire, France...
and Jardin botanique de la Faculté de Pharmacie d'Angers
Jardin botanique de la Faculté de Pharmacie d'Angers
The Jardin botanique de la Faculté de Pharmacie d'Angers is a botanical garden and arboretum operated by the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Angers...
are a historic botanical garden
Botanical garden
A botanical garden The terms botanic and botanical, and garden or gardens are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word botanic is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is a well-tended area displaying a wide range of plants labelled with their botanical names...
s, and its Arboretum Gaston Allard
Arboretum Gaston Allard
The Arboretum Gaston Allard , also known as the Arboretum d'Angers and formerly the Arboretum de la Maulévrie, is a municipal arboretum located at 9, rue du Château d’Orgement, Angers, Maine-et-Loire, Pays de la Loire, France...
is a major arboretum
Arboretum
An arboretum in a narrow sense is a collection of trees only. Related collections include a fruticetum , and a viticetum, a collection of vines. More commonly, today, an arboretum is a botanical garden containing living collections of woody plants intended at least partly for scientific study...
. It is also well known for being the seat of important cultural events, such as the film festival Premiers Plans
Premiers Plans
The Premiers Plans festival takes place in Angers every year in January. It is dedicated to European first films, and is meant to help new directors meet their audience....
, Tour de Scènes (free concerts in the streets) and Les Accroche-Coeurs (free street festival
Festival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
).
Sport
Angers has many sport teams playing at top levels:- Angers SCOAngers SCOAngers Sporting Club de l'Ouest is a French association football club based in Angers. The club was founded in 1919 and currently play in Ligue 2, the second division of French football having achieved promotion to the league in 2007. Angers play its home matches at the Stade Jean Bouin located...
is Angers's football teamFootball teamA football team is the collective name given to a group of players selected together in the various team sports known as football.Such teams could be selected to play in an against an opposing team, to represent a football club, group, state or nation, an All-star team or even selected as a...
. The club was created in 1919. In 2010–11 season, Angers SCO is playing in the Ligue 2 (second division) league. - Les Ducs d'AngersDucs d'AngersThe Association des Sports de Glisse d'Angers is a French ice hockey team based in Angers playing in the Ligue Magnus. The team currently use the name of "Les Ducs d'Angers " ....
is Angers's ice hockeyIce hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team. The club is playing in the Magnus League (first division). - Anjou BC is Angers's basketball teamBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, playing in second division. - Angers acts as home to the Angers Aviron Nautique (In French), a rowing clubRowing clubA rowing club is a club for people interested in the sport of Rowing. Rowing clubs are usually located near a body of water, whether natural or artificial, that is large enough for manoeuvering of the shells . Clubs usually have racks to store boats and a dock to put them in the water...
which actively competes in regattas across France
Colleges and universities
A centre of learning, Angers boasts two renowned universities and several specialized institutions, altogether responsible for more than 26,000 students. The city has a Catholic university, the Université Catholique de L'Ouest (Catholic University of the West, or UCO), one of five Catholic universities in France. UCO is best known for its French language studies institute, the Centre International Des Études FrançaisesCentre International Des Études Françaises
Le Centre International Des Etudes Francaises , also known as CIDEF, is an academic program of the Université Catholique de L'Ouest in Angers, France that offers French language and culture courses to foreign students. The institute's current director is M...
(CIDEF), which provides college students from around the world with college-level course instruction in the French language. The town is also home to a state university, the University of Angers
University of Angers
The University of Angers is an institution of higher learning situated in the town of the same name, in western France. It was founded in 1356, closed down in 1793, and reestablished in 1971....
.
Angers's other educational institutions include lycées; training colleges, an engineering school in manufacturing (ENSAM
École Nationale Supérieure d'Arts et Métiers
Arts et Métiers ParisTech is the French leading engineering school in the fields of mechanics and industrialization.The school trained 85,000 engineers since its foundation in 1780 by the Duke of La Rochefoucauld-Liancourt....
), an engineering school in electronics and computer science (ESEO), and a school of fine art
Fine art
Fine art or the fine arts encompass art forms developed primarily for aesthetics and/or concept rather than practical application. Art is often a synonym for fine art, as employed in the term "art gallery"....
. Its education and research institute
Research institute
A research institute is an establishment endowed for doing research. Research institutes may specialize in basic research or may be oriented to applied research...
s are the driving force behind the city's science and technology industries.
Angers's Business School is ESSCA (Ecole Superieure des Sciences Commerciales d'Angers). Formerly part of the UCO, the school's program is of a duration of five years. ESSCA is recruiting students after the Baccalaureat.
In addition to French schools and universities, an American university St. Edward's University
St. Edward's University
St. Edward's University is a private Roman Catholic institution of higher learning located south of Lady Bird Lake in Austin, Texas. The university offers a liberal arts education and its campus is located on a hill overlooking the city of Austin. The campus's most notable landmark is Main...
has new expanding campus in Angers. St. Edward’s University is a diverse, Catholic liberal arts institution from Austin, TX. The university has a partnership with UCO, and offers a variety of courses of undergraduate level and professional training.
Births
The city is the birthplace of:- René I of Naples (1409–1480)
- Jean BodinJean BodinJean Bodin was a French jurist and political philosopher, member of the Parlement of Paris and professor of law in Toulouse. He is best known for his theory of sovereignty; he was also an influential writer on demonology....
(1529–1596), philosopher and jurist, author of Six Livres de la République - Michel Eugène ChevreulMichel Eugène ChevreulMichel Eugène Chevreul was a French chemist whose work with fatty acids led to early applications in the fields of art and science. He is credited with the discovery of margaric acid and designing an early form of soap made from animal fats and salt...
, (1786–1889), chemist - Joseph Louis ProustJoseph ProustJoseph Louis Proust was a French chemist.-Life:Joseph L. Proust was born on September 26, 1754 in Angers, France. His father served as an apothecary in Angers. Joseph studied chemistry in his father’s shop and later came to Paris where he gained the appointment of apothecary in chief to the...
, (1754–1826), chemist responsible for "Proust's lawLaw of definite proportionsIn chemistry, the law of definite proportions, sometimes called Proust's Law, states that a chemical compound always contains exactly the same proportion of elements by mass. An equivalent statement is the law of constant composition, which states that all samples of a given chemical compound have...
" - Pierre-Jean David d'AngersPierre Jean DavidPierre-Jean David , usually called David d'Angers, was a French sculptor.He was born at Angers. His father was a sculptor or a mason, but had gone into the army as a musketeer, fighting against the Chouans of La Vendée. He returned to his trade at the end of the civil war to find his customers...
, (1788–1856), sculptor - Prosper MénièreProsper MénièreProsper Ménière , born in Angers, France. Ménière was lycée and university educated where he excelled at humanities and classics. He completed his gold medal in medical studies at Hôtel-Dieu de Paris in 1826, and his M.D...
(1799–1862), physician - Édouard CointreauEdouard CointreauThe founder and president of the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards, Edouard Cointreau was born February 28, 1947, into the families of Cointreau liqueur on his paternal side, and Cognacs Frapin and Remy Martin on his maternal side. His family has had vineyards since 1270.Edouard is a descendant of the...
, (1849–1923), creator of the "CointreauCointreauCointreau is a brand of triple sec produced in Saint-Barthélemy-d'Anjou, France. It is drunk as an apéritif and digestif, and is a component of several well-known cocktails. It was originally called "Curaçao Blanco Triple Sec".-Production:...
" orange-flavoured liquor - René BazinRené BazinRené François Nicolas Marie Bazin was a French novelist.Born at Angers, he studied law in Paris, and on his return to Angers became Professor of Law in the Catholic university...
(1853–1932), writer and educator - Fernand CharronFernand CharronFernand Charron was a French pioneer of motor racing. He started his sporting career as a successful cyclist.Between 1897 and 1903 he took part in 18 car races, 4 of which he won: Fernand Charron (1866 – 13 August 1928) was a French pioneer of motor racing. He started his sporting career as a...
(1866–1921), one of the first cars constructors (Octave MirbeauOctave MirbeauOctave Mirbeau was a French journalist, art critic, travel writer, pamphleteer, novelist, and playwright, who achieved celebrity in Europe and great success among the public, while still appealing to the literary and artistic avant-garde...
dedicated to Charron La 628-E8, 1907). - André BazinAndré BazinAndré Bazin was a renowned and influential French film critic and film theorist.-Life:Bazin was born in Angers, France, in 1918...
(1918–1958), critic of the French New WaveFrench New WaveThe New Wave was a blanket term coined by critics for a group of French filmmakers of the late 1950s and 1960s, influenced by Italian Neorealism and classical Hollywood cinema. Although never a formally organized movement, the New Wave filmmakers were linked by their self-conscious rejection of... - Hervé BazinHervé BazinHervé Bazin was a French writer, whose best-known novels covered semi-autobiographical topics of teenage rebellion and dysfunctional families.- Biography :...
(1911–1996), writer - Henri DutilleuxHenri DutilleuxHenri Dutilleux is one of the most important French composers of the second half of the 20th century, producing work in the tradition of Maurice Ravel, Claude Debussy, and Albert Roussel, but in a style distinctly his own...
(born 1916), composer - Joseph WresinskiJoseph WresinskiBorn into poverty, Fr. Joseph Wresinski established major landmarks throughout his life in the fight against the worst forms of poverty, in collaboration with the very poor themselves and other partners...
(born 1917), humanitarian activist - Paul Poupard (born 1930), Roman Catholic cardinalCardinal (Catholicism)A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
- Jacques LoussierJacques LoussierJacques Loussier is a French pianist and composer. He is well-known for his jazz interpretations in trio formation of many of Johann Sebastian Bach's works, such as the Goldberg Variations.-Early life and education :...
(born 1934), composer and jazz pianistJazz pianoJazz piano is a collective term for the techniques pianists use when playing jazz. The piano has been an integral part of the jazz idiom since its inception, in both solo and ensemble settings. Its role is multifaceted due largely to the instrument's combined melodic and harmonic capabilities... - Francis Le Jau, (1665–1717), AnglicanAnglicanismAnglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
missionaryMissionaryA missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
to West IndiesCaribbeanThe Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
and South CarolinaSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, worked for the humane treatment of slaves. - Nicolas MahutNicolas MahutNicolas Pierre Armand Mahut is a French tennis player. Mahut is right-handed and has previously won the Orange Bowl in 1999, becoming professional in 2000. He is a good serve and volleyer and a doubles expert, having won many tournaments with his doubles partner Julien Benneteau. His career high...
(born 1982), tennis player
Twin towns – sister cities
Angers is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with: Haarlem
Haarlem
Haarlem is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of North Holland, the northern half of Holland, which at one time was the most powerful of the seven provinces of the Dutch Republic...
, Netherlands, since 1964 Osnabrück
Osnabrück
Osnabrück is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany, some 80 km NNE of Dortmund, 45 km NE of Münster, and some 100 km due west of Hanover. It lies in a valley penned between the Wiehen Hills and the northern tip of the Teutoburg Forest...
, Germany, since 1964 Bamako
Bamako
Bamako is the capital of Mali and its largest city with a population of 1.8 million . Currently, it is estimated to be the fastest growing city in Africa and sixth fastest in the world...
, Mali, since 1974 Pisa
Pisa
Pisa is a city in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the River Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa...
, Italy, since 1982 Wigan
Wigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...
, United Kingdom, since 1988 Södertälje
Södertälje
Södertälje is a city and the seat of Södertälje Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 86,069 inhabitants in 2010.The industrial city, about south of Stockholm, is the home to truck maker Scania AB and a top 10 pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca....
, Sweden, since 1998 Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
, Spain, since 2000 Yantai
Yantai
Yantai is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Shandong province, People's Republic of China. Located on the southern coast of the Bohai Sea and the eastern coast of the Laizhou Bay, Yantai borders the cities of Qingdao and Weihai to the southwest and east respectively.The largest fishing...
, China, since 2006
External links
- Official website
- Official website
- Angers Info
- University of Angers
- ESSCA
- Angers SCO Official Website
- The official website of Angers Tourist Information Centre
- “A Visit to the Slate Quarries of Angers,” France, article from the Scientific American – Supplement No. 974, Munn & Co., New York, 1894, on Stone Quarries and Beyond.