Tarascon
Encyclopedia
Tarascon sometimes referred to as Tarascon-sur-Rhône, is a commune
in the Bouches-du-Rhône
department in southern France
.
and 20 km (12.4 mi) north of Arles
, on the left (east) bank of the Rhône River
. On the other side is the similarly sized town of Beaucaire in the département of Gard
, région of Languedoc-Roussillon
. Directly opposite each other and connected by several bridges, Beaucaire and Tarascon effectively constitute one town.
Hamlets located on the territory of the commune include:
, the Tarasque
, is said to have lived there at the beginning of the 1st century. It was purportedly tamed by Martha
in 48 AD. See Tarasque
for the whole story and more pictures.
The novel Tartarin de Tarascon
(1872) and its two sequels Tartarin sur les Alpes (1885) and Port-Tarascon (1890), by Alphonse Daudet
, were set here.
Since 1985, there has been a small museum in the town, dedicated to the fictional character Tartarin.
A festival is held every year on the last Sunday of June to remember Tartarin and the Tarasque.
's Collegiate Church
) is where, according to a local tradition, the biblical
figure Martha
is buried. The church was built half-Romanesque
in the 12th century and half-Gothic
in the 14th century. The crypt
dates from the third century.
The construction of the current castle of Tarascon was started in 1401 by Louis II of Anjou, after the previous castle was destroyed. The construction was continued by his first son, Louis III of Anjou, and was completed in 1449 by his second son, René I of Naples
. Thus, the castle is often referred to as le château du roi René ("King René's castle").
It was turned into a military prison in the 17th century, until its acquisition by the state in 1932.
It stands right on the banks of the Rhône opposite Beaucaire Castle, and near the Collegiate Church of St Martha. (43°48′22"N 4°39′18"E
)
The GR 6 footpath
runs through Tarascon.
Elmshorn
, Germany
- since 1987 Fraga
, Spain
Neviano degli Arduini
, Italy
Porrentruy
, Switzerland
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 Bouches-du-Rhône
Bouches-du-Rhône
Bouches-du-Rhône is a department in the south of France named after the mouth of the Rhône River. It is the most populous department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Its INSEE and postal code is 13.-History of the department:...
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...
.
Geography
Tarascon is located 23 km (14.3 mi) south of AvignonAvignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
and 20 km (12.4 mi) north of Arles
Arles
Arles is a city and commune in the south of France, in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, of which it is a subprefecture, in the former province of Provence....
, on the left (east) bank of the Rhône River
Rhône River
The Rhone is one of the major rivers of Europe, rising in Switzerland and running from there through southeastern France. At Arles, near its mouth on the Mediterranean Sea, the river divides into two branches, known as the Great Rhone and the Little Rhone...
. On the other side is the similarly sized town of Beaucaire in the département of 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...
, région of Languedoc-Roussillon
Languedoc-Roussillon
Languedoc-Roussillon is one of the 27 regions of France. It comprises five departments, and borders the other French regions of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Rhône-Alpes, Auvergne, Midi-Pyrénées on the one side, and Spain, Andorra and the Mediterranean sea on the other side.-Geography:The region is...
. Directly opposite each other and connected by several bridges, Beaucaire and Tarascon effectively constitute one town.
Hamlets located on the territory of the commune include:
- Lansac
- Saint-Gabriel (ancient Ernaginum)
Population
Culture
A mythological monsterMonster
A monster is any fictional creature, usually found in legends or horror fiction, that is somewhat hideous and may produce physical harm or mental fear by either its appearance or its actions...
, the Tarasque
Tarasque
The Tarasque is a fearsome legendary dragon from Provence, in southern France, tamed in a story about Saint Martha. On 25 November 2005 the UNESCO included the Tarasque on the list of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity....
, is said to have lived there at the beginning of the 1st century. It was purportedly tamed by Martha
Martha
Martha of Bethany is a biblical figure described in the Gospels of Luke and John. Together with her siblings Lazarus and Mary, she is described as living in the village of Bethany near Jerusalem...
in 48 AD. See Tarasque
Tarasque
The Tarasque is a fearsome legendary dragon from Provence, in southern France, tamed in a story about Saint Martha. On 25 November 2005 the UNESCO included the Tarasque on the list of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity....
for the whole story and more pictures.
The novel Tartarin de Tarascon
Tartarin de Tarascon
Tartarin of Tarascon is an 1872 novel written by the French author Alphonse Daudet.-Synopsis:It tells the burlesque adventures of Tartarin, a local hero of Tarascon, a small town in southern France, whose invented adventures and reputation as a swashbuckler finally force him to travel to a very...
(1872) and its two sequels Tartarin sur les Alpes (1885) and Port-Tarascon (1890), by Alphonse Daudet
Alphonse Daudet
Alphonse Daudet was a French novelist. He was the father of Léon Daudet and Lucien Daudet.- Early life :Alphonse Daudet was born in Nîmes, France. His family, on both sides, belonged to the bourgeoisie. The father, Vincent Daudet, was a silk manufacturer — a man dogged through life by misfortune...
, were set here.
Since 1985, there has been a small museum in the town, dedicated to the fictional character Tartarin.
A festival is held every year on the last Sunday of June to remember Tartarin and the Tarasque.
Collegiate Church
Église collégiale Ste Marthe (St MarthaMartha
Martha of Bethany is a biblical figure described in the Gospels of Luke and John. Together with her siblings Lazarus and Mary, she is described as living in the village of Bethany near Jerusalem...
's Collegiate Church
Collegiate church
In Christianity, a collegiate church is a church where the daily office of worship is maintained by a college of canons; a non-monastic, or "secular" community of clergy, organised as a self-governing corporate body, which may be presided over by a dean or provost...
) is where, according to a local tradition, the biblical
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
figure Martha
Martha
Martha of Bethany is a biblical figure described in the Gospels of Luke and John. Together with her siblings Lazarus and Mary, she is described as living in the village of Bethany near Jerusalem...
is buried. The church was built half-Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
in the 12th century and half-Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
in the 14th century. The crypt
Crypt
In architecture, a crypt is a stone chamber or vault beneath the floor of a burial vault possibly containing sarcophagi, coffins or relics....
dates from the third century.
Medieval castle
René I of Naples
René of Anjou , also known as René I of Naples and Good King René , was Duke of Anjou, Count of Provence , Count of Piedmont, Duke of Bar , Duke of Lorraine , King of Naples , titular King of Jerusalem...
. Thus, the castle is often referred to as le château du roi René ("King René's castle").
It was turned into a military prison in the 17th century, until its acquisition by the state in 1932.
It stands right on the banks of the Rhône opposite Beaucaire Castle, and near the Collegiate Church of St Martha. (43°48′22"N 4°39′18"E
)
Other highlights
- Historical town centre, including the rue des Halles and its arcades
- Hôtel de Ville (Town Hall) (1648)
- Cloître des Cordeliers, 16th century cloisterCloisterA cloister is a rectangular open space surrounded by covered walks or open galleries, with open arcades on the inner side, running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle or garth...
- Three city gatesCity Gates-Track listing:# "Mingus Metamorphosis" 13:20# "Samba For Now" – 8:31# "Thank You Very Much Mr. Monk" – 7:57# "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen" – 5:18# "City Gates" – 7:56...
remain from the former city wall: Portail St. Jean, Porte de la Condamine and Porte Jarnègues. - Saint-Jacques Church (1740)
- Saint-Michel de Frigolet abbey
Administration
| Mandate | Name | Party | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1935–1940 | Numa Corbessas | - | Mayor |
| 1940–1941 | Eugène Barthélémy | - | Mayor |
| 1941–1944 | Etienne Philip | - | Mayor |
| 1944 | Commission spéciale | - | - |
| 1944–1947 | Numa Corbessas | - | Mayor |
| 1947–1965 | Honoré Valette | - | Mayor |
| 1965–1971 | (Colonel) Jean André | - | Mayor |
| 1971–1983 | Antonin Saint Michel | PS Socialist Party (France) The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement... |
Mayor |
| 1983–2002 | Thérèse Aillaud | RPR Rally for the Republic The Rally for the Republic , was a French right-wing political party. Originating from the Union of Democrats for the Republic , it was founded by Jacques Chirac in 1976 and presented itself as the heir of Gaullism... |
Mayor |
| 2002–2005 | Jean Reynaud | UMP Union for a Popular Movement The Union for a Popular Movement is a centre-right political party in France, and one of the two major contemporary political parties in the country along with the center-left Socialist Party... |
Mayor |
| 2005 - current | Charles Fabre | UMP | Mayor |
Transportation
Tarascon is served by a train station and several buses.The GR 6 footpath
GR footpath
The Grande Randonnée , Grote Routepaden or Lange-afstand-wandelpaden , Grande Rota or Gran Recorrido is a network of long-distance footpaths in Europe, mostly in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain. In France alone, the trails cover approximately 60,000 km...
runs through Tarascon.
Personalities
- Ricau de TarasconRicau de TarasconRicau, Ricautz, or Ricavi de Tarascon was a Provençal knight and troubadour from Tarascon. His vida portrays him as a good "servant" of ladies. He wrote both sirventes and cansos, but only two songs survive: one canso and one tenso, "Cabrit, al mieu vejaire", probably with Gui de Cavalhon.-External...
, ProvençalProvenceProvence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
knightKnightA knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
and troubadourTroubadourA 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.... - Esprit FléchierEsprit FléchierEsprit Fléchier was a French preacher and author, Bishop of Nîmes from 1687 to 1710.-Life:He was born at Pernes-les-Fontaines, in the département of Vaucluse, in the Comtat Venaissin, and brought up at Tarascon by his uncle, Hercule Audiffret, superior of the Congrégation des Doctrinaires...
(1632–1710), preacher and author, Bishop of Nîmes from 1687, spent his early years in Tarascon - Jean GillesJean Gilles (Composer)Jean Gilles was a French composer, born at Tarascon.-Biography:After receiving his musical training as a choirboy at the Cathedral of Saint-Sauveur at Aix-en-Provence, he succeeded his teacher Guillaume Poitevin as music master there...
(1668–1705), composer, was born in Tarascon - Joseph RoumanilleJoseph RoumanilleJoseph Roumanille was a Provençal poet. He was born at Saint-Rémy-de-Provence , and is commonly known in southern France as the father of the Félibrige, for he first conceived the idea of raising his regional language to the dignity of a literary language.-Biography:Joseph Roumanille was the son...
(1818–1891), poet and one of the founders of FélibrigeFélibrigeThe Félibrige is a literary and cultural association founded by Frédéric Mistral and other Provençal writers to defend and promote Occitan language and literature...
, studied and worked there from 1834 to 1839. - Joseph ben Abba Mari ben Joseph ben Jacob Caspi (1279—1340), a prominent Jewish medieval philosopher.
Twin towns
Beit She'an, IsraelIsrael
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
Elmshorn
Elmshorn
Elmshorn is a town in the district of Pinneberg in Schleswig-Holstein in Germany. It is located 32 km north of Hamburg at the small river Krückau, close to the Elbe river, is the sixth-largest city in the state of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
- since 1987 Fraga
Fraga
Fraga is the major town of the comarca of Bajo Cinca in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. It is located by the river Cinca.King Alfonso I of Aragon died at its walls in 1134 while trying to conquer it...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
Neviano degli Arduini
Neviano degli Arduini
Neviano degli Arduini is a comune in the Province of Parma in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about 80 km west of Bologna and about 25 km south of Parma....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Porrentruy
Porrentruy
Porrentruy is a Swiss municipality and seat of the district of the same name located in the canton of Jura.-Geography:The municipality lies on both sides of the Allaine River, in Ajoie at the foot of the Jura Mountains on the north...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
See also
- Treaty of TarasconTreaty of TarasconThe Treaty of Tarascon was an accord between Pope Nicholas IV, Philip IV of France, Charles II of Naples, and Alfonso III of Aragón that was intended to end the Aragonese Crusade, an episode in the War of the Sicilian Vespers...
(1291) - Pas de la BergèrePas de la BergèreThe Pas de la Bergère was a pas d'armes organized in 1449 by René of Anjou in Tarascon, in southern France.The event started on May 1, 1449 and lasted for three days. Noblemen dressed as shepherds had to defend in turns a noblewoman dressed as a shepherdess. The winner received a kiss and flowers...
, a pas d'armesPas d'ArmesThe pas d'armes or passage of arms was a type of chivalric hastilude that evolved in the late 14th century and remained popular through the 15th century...
held in Tarascon in 1449 - Communes of the Bouches-du-Rhône department