Aurignac
Encyclopedia
Aurignac is a commune
in the Haute-Garonne
department in southwestern France
on the edge of the Pyrénées
. It is the seat of the canton of Aurignac (population 4,160), which is composed of 19 communes. It is part of the ancient region known as the Comminges
.
and is, on average, 400m above sea level. It is in the region of rolling hills known as the Petites Pyrénées and is dominated by a ridge-shaped hill upon which the old town is built with the remains of a 13th century castle at the top.
, of prehistoric remains in nearby caves, at the Abri préhistorique d'Aurignac, which led to the definition of the Aurignacian
culture. It is the type site for this important phase in human prehistory. Evidence of Cro-Magnon
man has been found in Africa as far back as 160,000 years ago. When they came to Europe, about 40,000 years ago, their culture appears to have flourished with major advances in the use of tools and the development of figurative art. The Aurignacian culture has been called the first modern humans in Europe.
The exact origins of the town are not defined, although the 1957 discovery of the remains of a Roman habitation, with a well-preserved bath-house, 2.5 km (1.6 mi) from the present-day town suggests that the area was inhabited during the Gallo-Roman period. In 777 a Benedictine
priory was founded in Aurignac as a dependency of the Abbey of Saint Tiberi in the diocese of Agde
. It has been suggested that the monks built a church around 800, which they dedicated to the obscure Saint Marie d'Aurinhaco, thus giving rise to the town name. The first known official record is from 1109, regarding Roger d'Aurignac, the Seigneur
of the town. In 1234, Bernard V, Count of Comminges
, received the territory from his mother. By 1240, he had built a castle (the Château d'Aurignac
) on the hill, around which the village developed.
Between the 14th and 17th centuries, Aurignac was one of the more important towns of the Comminges
, with over 40 communes in its dependence, and an important centre of commerce, based on the production of pottery and leather and holding frequent markets and fairs. During the French wars of religion
(1562–1598) the Comminges remained Catholic and Aurignac became an important military centre. Its population was recorded as 2,500 in 1699.
Henry IV
ordered the destruction of the castle in the early 17th century and, although it was still partly inhabited in 1627, it fell into disuse not long afterwards.
(donjon), towers, gateways and the parts of the ramparts, some of which have been incorporated into houses. Extending towards the town centre is the 14th/15th century area, also originally walled.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Haute-Garonne
Haute-Garonne
Haute-Garonne is a department in the southwest of France named after the Garonne river. Its main city is Toulouse.-History:Haute-Garonne is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It was created from part of the former province of Languedoc.The...
department in southwestern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
on the edge of the Pyrénées
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
. It is the seat of the canton of Aurignac (population 4,160), which is composed of 19 communes. It is part of the ancient region known as the Comminges
Comminges
The Comminges is an ancient region of southern France in the foothills of the Pyrenees, corresponding closely to the arrondissement of Saint-Gaudens in the department of Haute-Garonne...
.
Geography
The town of Aurignac is located 60 km southwest of ToulouseToulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
and is, on average, 400m above sea level. It is in the region of rolling hills known as the Petites Pyrénées and is dominated by a ridge-shaped hill upon which the old town is built with the remains of a 13th century castle at the top.
History
Aurignac is best known for the 1860 discovery, by Édouard LartetÉdouard Lartet
Édouard Lartet was a French paleontologist.-Biography:Lartet was born near Castelnau-Barbarens, of Gers, France, where his family had lived for more than five hundred years. He was educated for the law at Auch and Toulouse, but having private means elected to devote himself to science...
, of prehistoric remains in nearby caves, at the Abri préhistorique d'Aurignac, which led to the definition of the Aurignacian
Aurignacian
The Aurignacian culture is an archaeological culture of the Upper Palaeolithic, located in Europe and southwest Asia. It lasted broadly within the period from ca. 45,000 to 35,000 years ago in terms of conventional radiocarbon dating, or between ca. 47,000 and 41,000 years ago in terms of the most...
culture. It is the type site for this important phase in human prehistory. Evidence of Cro-Magnon
Cro-Magnon
The Cro-Magnon were the first early modern humans of the European Upper Paleolithic. The earliest known remains of Cro-Magnon-like humans are radiometrically dated to 35,000 years before present....
man has been found in Africa as far back as 160,000 years ago. When they came to Europe, about 40,000 years ago, their culture appears to have flourished with major advances in the use of tools and the development of figurative art. The Aurignacian culture has been called the first modern humans in Europe.
The exact origins of the town are not defined, although the 1957 discovery of the remains of a Roman habitation, with a well-preserved bath-house, 2.5 km (1.6 mi) from the present-day town suggests that the area was inhabited during the Gallo-Roman period. In 777 a Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
priory was founded in Aurignac as a dependency of the Abbey of Saint Tiberi in the diocese of Agde
Ancient Diocese of Agde
The former French Roman Catholic diocese of Agde existed from about the 6th century to the French Revolution - the last bishop, Charles François de Saint Simon Sandricourt, was guillotined in Paris on July 26, 1794. Its see was Agde Cathedral; Agde is in the south of France, in what is now the...
. It has been suggested that the monks built a church around 800, which they dedicated to the obscure Saint Marie d'Aurinhaco, thus giving rise to the town name. The first known official record is from 1109, regarding Roger d'Aurignac, the Seigneur
Lord
Lord is a title with various meanings. It can denote a prince or a feudal superior . The title today is mostly used in connection with the peerage of the United Kingdom or its predecessor countries, although some users of the title do not themselves hold peerages, and use it 'by courtesy'...
of the town. In 1234, Bernard V, Count of Comminges
Comminges
The Comminges is an ancient region of southern France in the foothills of the Pyrenees, corresponding closely to the arrondissement of Saint-Gaudens in the department of Haute-Garonne...
, received the territory from his mother. By 1240, he had built a castle (the Château d'Aurignac
Château d'Aurignac
The Château d'Aurignac is a ruined 13th century castle in the commune of Aurignac in the Haute-Garonne département of France.The castle was built on a hill before 1240 by Bernard V, Counts of Comminges, and the village developed around it...
) on the hill, around which the village developed.
Between the 14th and 17th centuries, Aurignac was one of the more important towns of the Comminges
Comminges
The Comminges is an ancient region of southern France in the foothills of the Pyrenees, corresponding closely to the arrondissement of Saint-Gaudens in the department of Haute-Garonne...
, with over 40 communes in its dependence, and an important centre of commerce, based on the production of pottery and leather and holding frequent markets and fairs. During the French wars of religion
French Wars of Religion
The French Wars of Religion is the name given to a period of civil infighting and military operations, primarily fought between French Catholics and Protestants . The conflict involved the factional disputes between the aristocratic houses of France, such as the House of Bourbon and House of Guise...
(1562–1598) the Comminges remained Catholic and Aurignac became an important military centre. Its population was recorded as 2,500 in 1699.
Henry IV
Henry IV of France
Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
ordered the destruction of the castle in the early 17th century and, although it was still partly inhabited in 1627, it fell into disuse not long afterwards.
Population
The old town
The old part of the town is centred around the remains of the castle dating from the 13th century, including the church, a well-restored keepKeep
A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word keep, but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the...
(donjon), towers, gateways and the parts of the ramparts, some of which have been incorporated into houses. Extending towards the town centre is the 14th/15th century area, also originally walled.