Lunel
Encyclopedia
Lunel is a commune
in the Hérault
department in southern France
. Lunel is located 21 km (13 mi) east of Montpellier
and 28 km (17.4 mi) southwest of Nîmes
(Gard
).
is located nearby. The troubadour
Folquet de Lunel
was from Lunel.
Lunel was a centre of Jewish learning. It is thought that the family of Rashi
(1040 – 1105), the great Rabbi
and commentator, originated in Lunel. Other scholars include Jonathan of Lunel
, Meshullam ben Jacob
of Lunel, Abraham ben David
who taught in Lunel before moving to Posquières, and Asher ben Meshullam
of Lunel.
Lunel was the birthplace of Louis Feuillade
(1873-1925), film director
from the silent era
. The artist Jean Hugo
lived in the Lunel area for most of his life and painted scenes from the surrounding coutryside. The Parc Jean Hugo in the centre of the town was named after him.
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 Hérault
Hérault
Hérault is a department in the south of France named after the Hérault river.-History:Hérault is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790...
department in southern 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...
. Lunel is located 21 km (13 mi) east of Montpellier
Montpellier
-Neighbourhoods:Since 2001, Montpellier has been divided into seven official neighbourhoods, themselves divided into sub-neighbourhoods. Each of them possesses a neighbourhood council....
and 28 km (17.4 mi) southwest of Nîmes
Nîmes
Nîmes is the capital of the Gard department in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in southern France. Nîmes has a rich history, dating back to the Roman Empire, and is a popular tourist destination.-History:...
(Gard
Gard
Gard is a département located in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon region.The department is named after the River Gard, although the formerly Occitan name of the River Gard, Gardon, has been replacing the traditional French name in recent decades, even among French speakers.- History...
).
History
The ancient Roman site of AmbrussumAmbrussum
Ambrussum is a Roman archaeological site in Villetelle, Hérault département, in southern France.It is close to the modern town Lunel, between Nîmes and Montpellier...
is located nearby. The troubadour
Troubadour
A troubadour was a composer and performer of Old Occitan lyric poetry during the High Middle Ages . Since the word "troubadour" is etymologically masculine, a female troubadour is usually called a trobairitz....
Folquet de Lunel
Folquet de Lunel
Folquet de Lunel was a troubadour from Lunel in the Languedoc. He left behind nine recorded lyric poems, including five cansos, two partimens, and two sirventes. He also wrote one longer work, the Romans de mondana vida...
was from Lunel.
Lunel was a centre of Jewish learning. It is thought that the family of Rashi
Rashi
Shlomo Yitzhaki , or in Latin Salomon Isaacides, and today generally known by the acronym Rashi , was a medieval French rabbi famed as the author of a comprehensive commentary on the Talmud, as well as a comprehensive commentary on the Tanakh...
(1040 – 1105), the great Rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
and commentator, originated in Lunel. Other scholars include Jonathan of Lunel
Jonathan ben David ha-Cohen
Rabbi Jonathan ben David ha-Kohen of Lunel was a leading French tosafist.He was also known of Jonathan of Lunel, and was one of several Jewish scholars associated with the town, including Meshullam ben Jacob of Lunel, the "RABaD" Rabbi Abraham ben David who taught in Lunel before moving to...
, Meshullam ben Jacob
Meshullam ben Jacob
Rabbeinu Meshullam son of Jacob also known as Rabbeinu Meshullam hagodol was a Franco-Jewish Talmudist of the twelfth century CE...
of Lunel, Abraham ben David
Abraham ben David
Rabbeinu Abraham ben David was a Provençal rabbi, a great commentator on the Talmud, Sefer Halachot of Rabbi Yitzhak Alfasi and Mishne Torah of Maimonides, and is regarded as a father of Kabbalah and one of the key and important links in the chain of Jewish mystics...
who taught in Lunel before moving to Posquières, and Asher ben Meshullam
Asher ben Meshullam
Rabbeinu Asher ben Meshullam was a Jewish theologian and Talmudic scholar who lived at Lunel in the second half of the twelfth century CE. A renowned Talmudist, he was a son of the well-known Rabbeinu Meshullam ben Jacob , and a pupil of Rabbeinu Joseph ibn Plat and the Ravad of Posquières, whose...
of Lunel.
Lunel was the birthplace of Louis Feuillade
Louis Feuillade
Louis Feuillade was a prolific and prominent French film director from the silent era. Between 1906 and 1924 he directed over 630 films...
(1873-1925), film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
from the silent era
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
. The artist Jean Hugo
Jean Hugo
Victor Jean Hugo is a South African professional golfer.Hugo matriculated at Paul Roos Gymnasium in Stellenbosch, South Africa in 1994 and graduated three years later with a BA Degree from the University of Stellenbosch prior to becoming a professional golfer...
lived in the Lunel area for most of his life and painted scenes from the surrounding coutryside. The Parc Jean Hugo in the centre of the town was named after him.
External links
- Official website (in French)