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Beziers
Beziers Beziers is located on high ground above the River Orb, 20 km from the Mediterranean coast and 45 km from the Haut Languedoc mountain range. The town, which lies on the site of an ancient Neolithic settlement, was a prosperous Celtic trading post. It was rebuilt by the Romans as a colonial city ("Colonia Julia Baeterrae") for veteran soldiers in 35 BC. The area is rich in Etruscan, Greek and Roman archaeological sites. The town exported white wine to Italy as evidenced by the pottery shards stamped with its name found on digs in Rome. After the collapse of the Roman Empire, Beziers was initially conquered by the Visigoths and then by the Moors. The Moors were expelled by the Francs, lead by Charles Martel, who took over and fortified the town in 737 AD. Charlemagne entrusted the government of the town to a local lord who became the Viscount of Beziers. Beziers remained under the rule of its viscounts until 1209 when it was sacked during the Albigensian Crusade. The town had afforded protection to members of the Catharism sect who believed that the world was created by Satan, the God of the Old Testament, and that a series of reincarnations was necessary before the human soul could be received by the God of Love described in the New Testament. The Pope declared Catharism heretical and despatched the Papal Legate, Arnald Amalaricus, to take Beziers. Amalaricus proceeded to slaughter the town's entire population without bothering to distinguish between Catholics and Cathars since "God would know His own." The cathedral of Saint Nazaire was also raised to the ground. A plaque in the square outside the cathedral records this event. Work on the present cathedral started in 1215 and was not completed until the late 15th century. Beziers became part of the Kingdom of France in 1247 and received a royal visit from Charles IX in 1565. In 1632 many of its citizens were implicated in the failed plot by Gaston d'Orleans to wrest control of the Languedoc from his own brother King Louis XIII. After the revolt was crushed the town's privileges were withdrawn and were not restored until 1649. Beziers again revolted in 1851 when many of its citizens refused to recognise Louis Napoleon, the President of the French Second Republic, as the French Emperor. Troops fired on the protesters and many of the survivors were transported to Guyana including a former mayor of the city. These events are commemorated by a monument in the Place de la Revolution designed by Jean Antoine Injalbert (1845-1933). The same sculptor also designed the Fontaine du Titian in the city's Parc du Plateau des Poetes. Until recently Beziers was a prosperous town built on the back of the wine trade. During the 19th century its population quadrupled from 13,000 to 52,000. Its historic centre was partially cleared to make room for wide boulevards lined with splendid mansions while an ornamental public park was laid out and several impressive public buildings, including the theatre and mairie, were constructed.
Parc du Plateau des Poetes
La Mairie de Beziers. Image published under the Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.5 license However, Beziers was badly affected by the post-war decline of the wine trade and other traditional industries. Its designation as a development site for cheap housing contributed to a disproportionately high rate of unemployment and social malaise. The town has responded by exploiting its proximity to the golden sands of the nearby Gulf of Lion in an attempt to boost tourist revenues. A university was also established in 1992 and the authorities hope to attract new industry following the completion of the A75 to Clemont-Ferrand.
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