Toul
Encyclopedia
Toul is a commune
in the Meurthe-et-Moselle
department in north-eastern France
.
It is a sub-prefecture of the department.
and Nancy, and situated between the Moselle River
and the Canal de la Marne au Rhin.
as Tullum Leucorum, and was the capital of the Gaulish
tribe of the Leuci
.
In 612, King Theudebert II
of Austrasia
was defeated by King Theuderic II
of Burgundy near Toul. By the Treaty of Meerssen
of 870, Toul became part of East Francia, the later Holy Roman Empire. During the High Middle Ages, it became a Free Imperial City
. Toul was annexed to France by King Henry II
in 1552; this was recognized by the Holy Roman Empire in the Peace of Westphalia
of 1648. It then was a part of the French province of the Three Bishoprics
.
During the siege
of 1870 during the Franco-Prussian War
, the last time that Toul's defenses were used as a classic fortress, 64 guns opened fire at 6am on 23 September, and the fortress surrendered at 3pm after 2,433 shells had been fired.
Toul was the seat of the bishops of Toul; the diocese was founded around 365 and existed until 1807.
The city was also the primary base of the United States Air Service - predecessor to the United States Air Force - during World War I. As such, it was a base for many of the 45 war time squadrons including the squadrons of the 1st Pursuit Group, 1st Observation Group and others. The Americans referred to the area around Toul as the Toul Sector. Two large operations were launched from this area: the St. Mihiel offensive and the Meuse-Argonne offensive, both in September.
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 Meurthe-et-Moselle
Meurthe-et-Moselle
Meurthe-et-Moselle is a department in the Lorraine region of France, named after the Meurthe and Moselle rivers.- History :Meurthe-et-Moselle was created in 1871 at the end of the Franco-Prussian War from the parts of the former departments of Moselle and Meurthe which remained French...
department in north-eastern 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...
.
It is a sub-prefecture of the department.
Geography
Toul is located between CommercyCommercy
Commercy is a commune in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.It is the home of the madeleines referred to by Marcel Proust in A la Recherche du Temps Perdu.-History:...
and Nancy, and situated between the Moselle River
Moselle River
The Moselle is a river flowing through France, Luxembourg, and Germany. It is a left tributary of the Rhine, joining the Rhine at Koblenz. A small part of Belgium is also drained by the Mosel through the Our....
and the Canal de la Marne au Rhin.
History
Toul was known to the RomansAncient 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....
as Tullum Leucorum, and was the capital of the Gaulish
Gaulish language
The Gaulish language is an extinct Celtic language that was spoken by the Gauls, a people who inhabited the region known as Gaul from the Iron Age through the Roman period...
tribe of the Leuci
Leuci
The Leuci were an ancient Gallic tribe, traditionally considered to have lived the southern part of what is now Lorraine. They are mentioned by Julius Caesar as forming part of the people supplying wheat to the Roman army in 58 BC.- See also :...
.
In 612, King Theudebert II
Theudebert II
Theudebert II , King of Austrasia , was the son and heir of Childebert II. He received the kingdom of Austrasia plus the cities of Poitiers, Tours, Vellay, Bordeaux, and Châteaudun, as well as the Champagne, the Auvergne, and Transjurane Alemannia, on the death of his father in 595, but was...
of Austrasia
Austrasia
Austrasia formed the northeastern portion of the Kingdom of the Merovingian Franks, comprising parts of the territory of present-day eastern France, western Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Metz served as its capital, although some Austrasian kings ruled from Rheims, Trier, and...
was defeated by King Theuderic II
Theuderic II
Theuderic II , king of Burgundy and Austrasia , was the second son of Childebert II...
of Burgundy near Toul. By the Treaty of Meerssen
Treaty of Meerssen
The Treaty of Meerssen or Mersen was a partition treaty of the Carolingian Empire concluded on 8 August 870 by the two surviving sons of Emperor Louis the Pious, King Charles the Bald of West Francia and Louis the German of East Francia, at Meerssen north of Maastricht, in the present-day...
of 870, Toul became part of East Francia, the later Holy Roman Empire. During the High Middle Ages, it became a Free Imperial City
Free Imperial City
In the Holy Roman Empire, a free imperial city was a city formally ruled by the emperor only — as opposed to the majority of cities in the Empire, which were governed by one of the many princes of the Empire, such as dukes or prince-bishops...
. Toul was annexed to France by King Henry II
Henry II of France
Henry II was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559.-Early years:Henry was born in the royal Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, the son of Francis I and Claude, Duchess of Brittany .His father was captured at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 by his sworn enemy,...
in 1552; this was recognized by the Holy Roman Empire in the Peace of Westphalia
Peace of Westphalia
The Peace of Westphalia was a series of peace treaties signed between May and October of 1648 in Osnabrück and Münster. These treaties ended the Thirty Years' War in the Holy Roman Empire, and the Eighty Years' War between Spain and the Dutch Republic, with Spain formally recognizing the...
of 1648. It then was a part of the French province of the Three Bishoprics
Three Bishoprics
The Three Bishoprics constituted a province of pre-Revolutionary France consisting of the prince-bishoprics of Verdun, Metz, and Toul within the Lorraine region....
.
During the siege
Siege of Toul
The Siege of Toul was the siege of the French town of Toul from 16 August to 23 September 1870 by Prussian, Bavarian and Württemberg forces during the Franco-Prussian War. 64 guns opened fire at 6am on September 23, and the fortress surrendered at 3pm after 2,433 shells had been fired....
of 1870 during the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
, the last time that Toul's defenses were used as a classic fortress, 64 guns opened fire at 6am on 23 September, and the fortress surrendered at 3pm after 2,433 shells had been fired.
Toul was the seat of the bishops of Toul; the diocese was founded around 365 and existed until 1807.
The city was also the primary base of the United States Air Service - predecessor to the United States Air Force - during World War I. As such, it was a base for many of the 45 war time squadrons including the squadrons of the 1st Pursuit Group, 1st Observation Group and others. The Americans referred to the area around Toul as the Toul Sector. Two large operations were launched from this area: the St. Mihiel offensive and the Meuse-Argonne offensive, both in September.
Sights
The most striking features are the impressive stone rampartDefensive wall
A defensive wall is a fortification used to protect a city or settlement from potential aggressors. In ancient to modern times, they were used to enclose settlements...
s. It is not known precisely when they were first built, but there appears to have been a fortified town at this location since the earliest recorded history. Today, the ramparts encircle and define the old town. They are built of dressed white stone, and topped with grass, and in places are over five metres high.
There is a great deal of 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....
archæology in the area and allegedly some in the town. The Roman fortified town of Grand
Grand, Vosges
Grand is a commune in the Vosges department in Lorraine in northeastern France.Grand is known for its Roman amphitheatre, mosaics and aqueduct.- External links :*...
is some 30 km away, with its great amphitheatre
Amphitheatre
An amphitheatre is an open-air venue used for entertainment and performances.There are two similar, but distinct, types of structure for which the word "amphitheatre" is used: Ancient Roman amphitheatres were large central performance spaces surrounded by ascending seating, and were commonly used...
and temple to the Cult of Apollo.
Toul Cathedral
Toul Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Toul, Lorraine, France, and a fine example of Gothic architecture....
, which is in a poor condition and is being slowly restored. Many of the houses were built as canonical residences in the Late Middle Ages
Late Middle Ages
The Late Middle Ages was the period of European history generally comprising the 14th to the 16th century . The Late Middle Ages followed the High Middle Ages and preceded the onset of the early modern era ....
and bear vestiges in the form of ornamental stonework.
There is no trace of the monastery, however its wine-cellars still exist, under the shops on the North side of the Rue Gambetta. (Access is possible via the Camera Shop).
Transportation
Toul is at the intersection of the Moselle RiverMoselle River
The Moselle is a river flowing through France, Luxembourg, and Germany. It is a left tributary of the Rhine, joining the Rhine at Koblenz. A small part of Belgium is also drained by the Mosel through the Our....
(which divides into the river proper and the Moselle Canalisée just outside the town) with the Canal de la Marne au Rhin, and was once, consequently, an important port. The barges known as péniches still navigate these watercourses commercially, typically carrying steel, though in the summer much more of the water traffic is for pleasure.
There is a main-line railway station at Toul, the last major station before the (once vast, and still very large) marshalling yards at Nancy. However, the Paris-Strasbourg 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....
line, now under construction, will pass about 20 km north of Toul, approximately mid-way between Metz
Metz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
and Nancy. Its completion will likely reduce Toul's importance as a station.
Economy
The surrounding countryside is a wine-growing region, in which the AOCAppellation d'Origine Contrôlée
Appellation d’origine contrôlée , which translates as "controlled designation of origin", is the French certification granted to certain French geographical indications for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, all under the auspices of the government bureau Institut National...
Côtes de Toul
Côtes de Toul
Côtes de Toul is an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée for French wine produced in the département of Meurthe-et-Moselle in the Lorraine région. The Côtes de Toul vineyards cover in an area close to Toul, to the west of the city of Nancy...
vintage is produced. Particularly notable is the Gris de Toul.
Administration
Toul is the seat of two cantons: Toul-Nord with a population of 27,102, and Toul-Sud with a population of 13,215. The following table shows the communes in each canton:| Toul-Nord | Toul-Sud |
|---|---|
| Aingeray Aingeray Aingeray is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.As of 1999 the population of Aingeray is 638; inhabitants are called Aingerois.... |
Bicqueley Bicqueley Bicqueley is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.... |
| Boucq Boucq Boucq is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department*Parc naturel régional de Lorraine... |
Blénod-lès-Toul Blénod-lès-Toul Blénod-lès-Toul is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.-External links:*... |
| Bouvron Bouvron, Meurthe-et-Moselle Bouvron is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.- Demographics :- External links :*... |
Bulligny Bulligny Bulligny is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.... |
| Bruley Bruley Bruley is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.Bruley is notable for its wine production.-Demography:-Notable people:*Claude Manet -Mayor of Bruley*Marcel Laroppe Ex manager of the Société Vinicole du Toulois... |
Charmes-la-Côte Charmes-la-Côte Charmes-la-Côte is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department... |
| Dommartin-lès-Toul Dommartin-lès-Toul Dommartin-lès-Toul is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department... |
Chaudeney-sur-Moselle Chaudeney-sur-Moselle Chaudeney-sur-Moselle is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department... |
| Écrouves Écrouves Écrouves is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department*Parc naturel régional de Lorraine... |
Choloy-Ménillot Choloy-Ménillot Choloy-Ménillot is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.It is located 28 kilometres west of Nancy and 5 kilometres west of Toul.... |
| Fontenoy-sur-Moselle Fontenoy-sur-Moselle Fontenoy-sur-Moselle is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department... |
Crézilles Crézilles Crézilles is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department... |
| Foug Foug Foug is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.... |
Domgermain Domgermain Domgermain is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department... |
| Gondreville Gondreville, Meurthe-et-Moselle Gondreville is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.It was a base for the United States Air Service during World War I.-External links:*... |
Gye Gye Gye is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.... |
| Lagney Lagney Lagney is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.- See also :* Communes of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department*Parc naturel régional de Lorraine... |
Mont-le-Vignoble Mont-le-Vignoble Mont-le-Vignoble is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department... |
| Laneuveville-derrière-Foug Laneuveville-derrière-Foug Laneuveville-derrière-Foug is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department*Parc naturel régional de Lorraine... |
Moutrot Moutrot Moutrot is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.... |
| Lay-Saint-Remy Lay-Saint-Remy Lay-Saint-Remy is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.... |
Ochey Ochey Ochey is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.... |
| Lucey Lucey, Meurthe-et-Moselle Lucey is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.- See also :* Communes of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department*Parc naturel régional de Lorraine... |
Pierre-la-Treiche Pierre-la-Treiche Pierre-la-Treiche is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department... |
| Ménil-la-Tour Ménil-la-Tour Ménil-la-Tour is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department*Parc naturel régional de Lorraine... |
Sexey-aux-Forges Sexey-aux-Forges Sexey-aux-Forges is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department... |
| Pagney-derrière-Barine Pagney-derrière-Barine Pagney-derrière-Barine is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department*Parc naturel régional de Lorraine... |
Villey-le-Sec Villey-le-Sec Villey-le-Sec is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department... |
| Sanzey Sanzey Sanzey is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department*Parc naturel régional de Lorraine... |
|
| Sexey-les-Bois Sexey-les-Bois Sexey-les-Bois is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department... |
|
| Trondes Trondes Trondes is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department*Parc naturel régional de Lorraine... |
Twin towns
HammHammHamm is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia , Germany. It is located in the northeastern part of the Ruhr area. As of December 2003 its population was 180,849. The city is situated between the A1 motorway and A2 motorway...
(GER)
, since 1987
Notable people
- Saint Gerard of ToulGerard of ToulSaint Gerard of Toul, also Saint Gerald of Toul was a German priest who was appointed bishop of Toul in 963. He ruled for 31 years.Unlike some other saints he was born into a very wealthy, noble family....
, bishop - Antoine Augustin CalmetAntoine Augustin CalmetAntoine Augustin Calmet , French Benedictine, was born at Ménil-la-Horgne in Lorraine.He was educated at the Benedictine priory of Breuil in Commercy, and in 1688 joined the same order in the abbey of St-Mansuy at Toul, where he was admitted to profession 23 October of the following year...
, monk - Marcel BigeardMarcel BigeardMarcel "Bruno" Bigeard was a French military officer who fought in World War II, Indochina and Algeria. He was one of the commanders in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu and is thought by many to have been a dominating influence on French 'unconventional' warfare thinking from that time onwards...
, military leader - Mickaël Causse, Neuroscientist
- Laurent Gouvion Saint-Cyr, military leader
- Rachid HamdaniRachid HamdaniRachid Hamdani is a Moroccan footballer who currently plays as a midfielder for Apollon Limassol. He also holds French citizenship.-External links:*...
,footballer - Louis MajorelleLouis MajorelleLouis-Jean-Sylvestre Majorelle, usually known simply as Louis Majorelle, was a French decorator and furniture designer who manufactured his own designs, in the French tradition of the ébéniste...
, furniture designer and manufacturer