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Périgueux
Cathedral of St Front
Périgueux
Administration
Country	France
Region	Aquitaine
Department	Dordogne
Intercommunality	Périgourdine
Mayor	Michel Moyrand (PS) (2008–2014)
Statistics
Elevation	75–189 m (246–620 ft) (avg. 101 m or 331 ft)
Land area1	9.82 km2 (3.79 sq mi)
Population2	29,080  (2008)
- Density	2,961 /km2 (7,670 /sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	24322/ 24000
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Coordinates: 45°11′34″N 0°43′18″E / 45.1929°N 0.7217°E / 45.1929; 0.7217

Périgueux (French pronunciation: [peʁiɡø] ( listen); Occitan: Peireguers [pejɾeˈɣɥes, pejɾeˈɡœː] or Periguers [peɾiˈɣɥes, peɾiˈɡœː]) is a commune in the Dordogne department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.

Périgueux is the prefecture of the department and the capital of the region. It is also the seat of a Roman Catholic diocese.

History[link]

This section requires expansion.

The name Périgueux comes from Petrocorii, a Latinization of Celtic words meaning "the four tribes" – the Gallic people that held the area before the Roman conquest. Périgueux was their capital city. In 200 BC, the Petricorii came from the North and settled at Périgueux and established an encampment at La Boissière. After the Roman invasion, they left this post and established themselves on the plaine of L'Isle, and the town of Vesunna was created. This Roman city was eventually embellished with amenities such as temples, baths, amphitheatres, and a forum. At the end of the third century AD, the Roman city was surrounded by ramparts, and the town took the name of Civitas Petrocoriorum.

In the 10th century, Le Puy-Saint-Front was constructed around an abbey next to the old Gallo-Roman city. It was organised into a municipality around 1182.

During the year 1940, many Jews from Alsace and Alsatians were evacuated to Périgueux.

Simone Mareuil (a lead actor from the surrealist film Un Chien Andalou) committed self-immolation on 24 October 1954 by dousing herself in gasoline and burning herself to death in a public square in Périgueux.

Geography[link]

The Isle flows through Périgueux.

Population[link]

Sights[link]

There is an amphitheatre, the remains of a temple of the Gallic goddess, "Vesunna", and a luxurious Roman villa, called the "Domus of Vesunna", built around a garden courtyard surrounded by a colonnaded perisink.

The cathedral[link]

The bell tower of St Front's cathedral

The cathedral of St Front was built after 1120 AD and restored in the 19th century.

The history of the church of St Front of Périgueux has given rise to numerous discussions between archaeologists. Félix de Verneihl claims that St Front's was a copy of St Mark's Basilica in Venice; Quicherat, that it was copied from the church of the Holy Apostles of Constantinople. M. Brutails is of the opinion that even if the style of St Front's reveals an imitation of Oriental art, the construction differs altogether from Byzantine methods. The dates 984–1047, often given for the erection of St Front's, he considers too early; he thinks that the present church of St Front was built about 1120–1173, in imitation of a foreign monument by a native local school of architecture which erected the other domed buildings in the south-west of France.

The local architect, Paul Abadie (1812–1884), was responsible for radical changes to St Front's which are no longer appreciated by architects or local residents who prefer the purer Romanesque church of Saint-Etienne de la Cité, the former Cathedral of Périgueux.

The cathedral is part of the World Heritage Sites of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France.

Transport[link]

Périgueux railway station offers connections to Limoges, Bordeaux and Brive-la-Gaillarde and other regional destinations.

Personalities[link]

Périgueux was the birthplace of:

• Georges Bégué (1911–1993), engineer and agent in the Special Operations Executive

• William Joseph Chaminade (1761–1850), founder of the Society of Mary (Marianists) and the Daughters of Mary Immaculate

• Jean Clédat (1871–1943), Egyptologist, archaeologist and philologist.

• Andrew Perigo (1977-???), Banker, Humanitarian, President of Rebuild Joplin

See also[link]

• Communes of the Dordogne department

References[link]

• INSEE

External links[link]

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). Catholic Encyclopedia. Robert Appleton Company. 
• (French) City council of Périgueux
• (French) reports on culture and people in Périgueux
• (French) Web site of the Périgord
• (French) Perigueux-city.com

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Périgueux

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Église-Neuve-de-Vergt Église-Neuve-d'Issac Escoire Étouars Excideuil Eygurande-et-Gardedeuil Eyliac Eymet Eyvirat Eyzerac Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil Fanlac Les Farges Faurilles Faux Festalemps La Feuillade Firbeix Flaugeac Le Fleix Fleurac Florimont-Gaumier Fonroque La Force Fossemagne Fougueyrolles Fouleix Fraisse Gabillou Gageac-et-Rouillac Gardonne Gaugeac Génis Ginestet La Gonterie-Boulouneix Gout-Rossignol Grand-Brassac Granges-d'Ans Les Graulges Grèzes Grignols Grives Groléjac Grun-Bordas Hautefaye Hautefort Issac Issigeac Jaure Javerlhac-et-la-Chapelle-Saint-Robert Jayac La Jemaye Journiac Jumilhac-le-Grand Labouquerie Lacropte Lalinde Lamonzie-Montastruc Lamonzie-Saint-Martin Lamothe-Montravel Lanouaille Lanquais Le Lardin-Saint-Lazare Larzac Lavalade Lavaur Laveyssière Les Lèches Léguillac-de-Cercles Léguillac-de-l'Auche Lembras Lempzours Ligueux Limeuil Limeyrat Liorac-sur-Louyre Lisle Lolme Loubejac Lunas Lusignac Lussas-et-Nontronneau Manaurie Manzac-sur-Vern Marcillac-Saint-Quentin Mareuil Marnac Marquay Marsac-sur-l'Isle Marsalès Marsaneix Maurens Mauzac-et-Grand-Castang Mauzens-et-Miremont Mayac Mazeyrolles Ménesplet Mensignac Mescoules Meyrals Mialet Milhac-d'Auberoche Milhac-de-Nontron Minzac Molières Monbazillac Monestier Monfaucon Monmadalès Monmarvès Monpazier Monplaisant Monsac Monsaguel Monsec Montagnac-d'Auberoche Montagnac-la-Crempse Montagrier Montaut Montazeau Montcaret Montferrand-du-Périgord Montignac Montpeyroux Montpon-Ménestérol Montrem Mouleydier Moulin-Neuf Mouzens Mussidan Nabirat Nadaillac Nailhac Nanteuil-Auriac-de-Bourzac Nantheuil Nanthiat Nastringues Naussannes Négrondes Neuvic Nojals-et-Clotte Nontron Notre-Dame-de-Sanilhac Orliac Orliaguet Parcoul Paulin Paunat Paussac-et-Saint-Vivien Payzac Pazayac Périgueux Petit-Bersac Peyrignac Peyrillac-et-Millac Peyzac-le-Moustier Pezuls Piégut-Pluviers Le Pizou Plaisance Plazac Pomport Ponteyraud Pontours Port-Sainte-Foy-et-Ponchapt Prats-de-Carlux Prats-du-Périgord Pressignac-Vicq Preyssac-d'Excideuil Prigonrieux Proissans Puymangou Puyrenier Queyssac Quinsac Rampieux Razac-de-Saussignac Razac-d'Eymet Razac-sur-l'Isle Ribagnac Ribérac La Rochebeaucourt-et-Argentine La Roche-Chalais La Roque-Gageac Rouffignac-de-Sigoulès Rouffignac-Saint-Cernin-de-Reilhac Rudeau-Ladosse Sadillac Sagelat Saint-Agne Saint-Amand-de-Belvès Saint-Amand-de-Coly Saint-Amand-de-Vergt Saint-André-d'Allas Saint-André-de-Double Saint-Antoine-Cumond Saint-Antoine-d'Auberoche Saint-Antoine-de-Breuilh Saint-Aquilin Saint-Astier Saint-Aubin-de-Cadelech Saint-Aubin-de-Lanquais Saint-Aubin-de-Nabirat Saint-Aulaye Saint-Avit-de-Vialard Saint-Avit-Rivière Saint-Avit-Sénieur Saint-Barthélemy-de-Bellegarde Saint-Barthélemy-de-Bussière Saint-Capraise-de-Lalinde Saint-Capraise-d'Eymet Saint-Cassien Saint-Cernin-de-Labarde Saint-Cernin-de-l'Herm Saint-Chamassy Saint-Cirq Saint-Crépin-d'Auberoche Saint-Crépin-de-Richemont Saint-Crépin-et-Carlucet Saint-Cybranet Saint-Cyprien Saint-Cyr-les-Champagnes Sainte-Alvère Sainte-Croix Sainte-Croix-de-Mareuil Sainte-Eulalie-d'Ans Sainte-Eulalie-d'Eymet Sainte-Foy-de-Belvès Sainte-Foy-de-Longas Sainte-Innocence Sainte-Marie-de-Chignac Sainte-Mondane Sainte-Nathalène Sainte-Orse Sainte-Radegonde Sainte-Sabine-Born Saint-Estèphe Saint-Étienne-de-Puycorbier Sainte-Trie Saint-Félix-de-Bourdeilles Saint-Félix-de-Reillac-et-Mortemart Saint-Félix-de-Villadeix Saint-Front-d'Alemps Saint-Front-de-Pradoux Saint-Front-la-Rivière Saint-Front-sur-Nizonne Saint-Geniès Saint-Georges-Blancaneix Saint-Georges-de-Montclard Saint-Géraud-de-Corps Saint-Germain-de-Belvès Saint-Germain-des-Prés Saint-Germain-du-Salembre Saint-Germain-et-Mons Saint-Géry Saint-Geyrac Saint-Hilaire-d'Estissac Saint-Jean-d'Ataux Saint-Jean-de-Côle Saint-Jean-d'Estissac Saint-Jean-d'Eyraud Saint-Jory-de-Chalais Saint-Jory-las-Bloux Saint-Julien-de-Bourdeilles Saint-Julien-de-Crempse Saint-Julien-de-Lampon Saint-Julien-d'Eymet Saint-Just Saint-Laurent-des-Bâtons Saint-Laurent-des-Hommes Saint-Laurent-des-Vignes Saint-Laurent-la-Vallée Saint-Laurent-sur-Manoire Saint-Léon-d'Issigeac Saint-Léon-sur-l'Isle Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère Saint-Louis-en-l'Isle Saint-Maime-de-Péreyrol Saint-Marcel-du-Périgord Saint-Marcory Saint-Martial-d'Albarède Saint-Martial-d'Artenset Saint-Martial-de-Nabirat Saint-Martial-de-Valette Saint-Martial-Viveyrol Saint-Martin-de-Fressengeas Saint-Martin-de-Gurson Saint-Martin-de-Ribérac Saint-Martin-des-Combes Saint-Martin-l'Astier Saint-Martin-le-Pin Saint-Méard-de-Drône Saint-Méard-de-Gurçon Saint-Médard-de-Mussidan Saint-Médard-d'Excideuil Saint-Mesmin Saint-Michel-de-Double Saint-Michel-de-Montaigne Saint-Michel-de-Villadeix Saint-Nexans Saint-Pancrace Saint-Pantaly-d'Ans Saint-Pantaly-d'Excideuil Saint-Pardoux-de-Drône Saint-Pardoux-et-Vielvic Saint-Pardoux-la-Rivière Saint-Paul-de-Serre Saint-Paul-la-Roche Saint-Paul-Lizonne Saint-Perdoux Saint-Pierre-de-Chignac Saint-Pierre-de-Côle Saint-Pierre-de-Frugie Saint-Pierre-d'Eyraud Saint-Pompont Saint-Priest-les-Fougères Saint-Privat-des-Prés Saint-Rabier Saint-Raphaël Saint-Rémy Saint-Romain-de-Monpazier Saint-Romain-et-Saint-Clément Saint-Saud-Lacoussière Saint-Sauveur Saint-Sauveur-Lalande Saint-Seurin-de-Prats Saint-Séverin-d'Estissac Saint-Sulpice-de-Mareuil Saint-Sulpice-de-Roumagnac Saint-Sulpice-d'Excideuil Saint-Victor Saint-Vincent-de-Connezac Saint-Vincent-de-Cosse Saint-Vincent-Jalmoutiers Saint-Vincent-le-Paluel Saint-Vincent-sur-l'Isle Saint-Vivien Salagnac Salignac-Eyvigues Salles-de-Belvès Salon Sarlande Sarlat-la-Canéda Sarliac-sur-l'Isle Sarrazac Saussignac Savignac-de-Miremont Savignac-de-Nontron Savignac-Lédrier Savignac-les-Églises Sceau-Saint-Angel Segonzac Sencenac-Puy-de-Fourches Sergeac Serres-et-Montguyard Servanches Sigoulès Simeyrols Singleyrac Siorac-de-Ribérac Siorac-en-Périgord Sorges Soudat Soulaures Sourzac Tamniès Teillots Temple-Laguyon Terrasson-Lavilledieu Teyjat Thénac Thenon Thiviers Thonac Tocane-Saint-Apre La Tour-Blanche Tourtoirac Trélissac Trémolat Tursac Urval Valeuil Vallereuil Valojoulx Vanxains Varaignes Varennes Vaunac Vélines Vendoire Verdon Vergt Vergt-de-Biron Verteillac Veyrignac Veyrines-de-Domme Veyrines-de-Vergt Vézac Vieux-Mareuil Villac Villamblard Villars Villefranche-de-Lonchat Villefranche-du-Périgord Villetoureix Vitrac