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AUXERRE

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Originally appearing in Volume V03, Page 50 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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AUXERRE , a See also:

town of central See also:France, See also:capital of the See also:department of See also:Yonne, 38 m. S.S.E. of See also:Sens on the See also:Paris-See also:Lyon railway, between Laroche and See also:Nevers. Pop. (1906) 16,971. It is situated on the slopes and the See also:summit of an See also:eminence on the See also:left See also:bank of the Yonne, which is crossed by two See also:bridges leading to suburbs on the right bank. The town is irregularly built and its streets are steep and narrow, but it is surrounded by wide See also:tree-lined boulevards, which have replaced the See also:ancient fortifications, and has some See also:fine churches. That of St See also:Etienne, formerly the See also:cathedral, is a majestic See also:Gothic See also:building of the 13th to the 16th centuries. It is entered by three richly sculptured portals, over the See also:middle and largest of which is a See also:rose window; over the See also:north portal rises a massive See also:tower, but that which should surmount the See also:south portal is unfinished. The lateral entrances are sheltered by tympana and See also:arches profusely decorated with statuettes. The See also:plan consists of a See also:nave, with aisles and lateral chapels, See also:transept and See also:choir, with a deambulatory at a slightly See also:lower level. Beneath the choir, which is a fine example of See also:early Gothic See also:architecture, extends a See also:crypt of the 11th See also:century with mural paintings of the 12th century. The See also:church has some fine stained See also:glass and many pictures and other See also:works of See also:art.

The ancient episcopal See also:

palace, now used as prefecture, stands behind the cathedral; it preserves a Romanesque See also:gallery of the 12th cen it;': The church of St Eusebe belongs to the 12th, 13th and 16th centuries• Of the See also:abbey church of St Germain, built in the 13th and 141_11 centuries, most of the nave has disappeared, so that its imposii?g Romanesque tower stands apart from it; crypts of the 9th centuq contain the tombs of bishops of Auxerre. The abbey was once fo?- rtified and a high See also:wall and cylindrical tower remain. The builtdings (18th century) are partly occupied by a See also:hospital and a trae,ining-See also:college. The church of St See also:Pierre, in the See also:Renaissance See also:style of the 16th and 17th centuries, is conspicuous for the elaborate ornamentation of its See also:west See also:facade. The old See also:law-See also:court contains the museum, with a collection of antiquities and paintings, a•nd a library. In the middle of the town is a gateway surmountred by a See also:belfry, dating from the 15th century. Auxerre has statue0 of See also:Marshal See also:Davout, J. B. J. See also:Fourier and See also:Paul See also:Bert, the two lattcer natives of the town. The town is the seat of a court of assizles, and has tribunals of first instance and of See also:commerce, and a braTnch of the Bank of France. A lycee for girls, a communal collet,.e and training colleges are among its educational See also:establishment, Manufactures of ochre, of which there are quarries in the vicinity -Y, and of See also:iron goods are carried on.

Thecanal of See also:

Nivernais reaches as far as Auxerre, which has a busy See also:port and carries on See also:boat-building. See also:Trade is principally in the choice See also:wine of the surrounding vineyards, and in See also:timber and See also:coal. Auxerre (Autessiodurum) became the seat of a See also:bishop and a civitas in the 3rd century. Under the Merovingian See also:kings the abbey of St Germain, named after the 6th bishop, was founded, and in the 9th century its See also:schools had made the town a seat of learning. The bishopric was suppressed in 1790. The countship of Auxerre was granted by See also:King See also:Robert I. to his son-in-law Renaud, See also:count of Nevers. It remained in the See also:house of Nevers until 1184, when it passed by See also:marriage to that of See also:Courtenay. Other alliances transferred it successively to the families of Donzy, See also:Chatillon, See also:Bourbon and See also:Burgundy. Alice of Burgundy, countess of Auxerre, married See also:John of Chalons (d. 1309), and several See also:counts of Auxerre belonging to the house of Chalons distinguished themselves in the See also:wars against the See also:English during the 14th century. John II., count of Auxerre, was killed at the See also:battle of See also:Crecy (1346), and his See also:grandson, John IV., sold his countship to King See also:Charles V. in 1370.

End of Article: AUXERRE

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AUXENTIUS (fl. c. 370) 		[next]
AUXILIARY (from Lat. auxilium, help)

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