Nanterre
Encyclopedia
Nanterre is a commune
in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located 11.1 km (6.9 mi) west of the center of Paris
.
Nanterre is the capital of the Hauts-de-Seine
department as well as the seat of the Arrondissement of Nanterre
.
The eastern part of Nanterre, bordering the communes of Courbevoie
and Puteaux
, contains a small part of the La Defense
business district of Paris and some of the tallest buildings in the Paris region. Because the headquarters of many major corporations are located in La Défense, the court of Nanterre is well known in the media for the number of high-profile lawsuits and trials that take place in it. The city of Nanterre also includes the University Paris X – Nanterre, one of the largest universities in the Paris region.
. The Romans recorded the name as Nemetodorum. It is composed of the Celtic
word nemeto meaning "shrine" or "sacred place" and the Celtic word duros (cognate of English door and German Tür) meaning "door or gate", or "fortress". The sacred place referred to is supposed to have been a famous shrine that existed in antiquity on the top of the hill known as Mont-Valérien.
Inhabitants of Nanterre are called Nanterriennes (feminine) and Nanterriens (masculine).
, patron saint of Paris, was born in Nanterre ca. 419–422.
On 27 March 2002, Richard Durn, a disgruntled local activist, shot and killed eight town councilors and 14 others were wounded in what the French press dubbed the Nanterre massacre
. On 28 March, the murderer killed himself by jumping from the 4th floor of the « Quai des orfèvres », in Paris, while he was questioned by two policemen about the reason for his killing in the Nanterre City Hall.
: Nanterre – Préfecture, Nanterre – Université, and Nanterre – Ville
.
Nanterre – Université station is also an interchange station on the Transilien Paris – Saint-Lazare
suburban rail line.
and subsidiary Louvre Hôtels
have their head office in Village 5 in La Défense
and Nanterre.
club Racing Métro 92, currently based in another Paris suburb, Colombes
, are planning to build a new stadium in Nanterre. The venue, scheduled to open in 2014, is tentatively known as Arena 92
. It will have a capacity of 32,000 for rugby and 40,000 for concerts.
, Romania Pesaro
, Italy Tlemcen
, Algeria Novgorod
, Russia Watford
, United Kingdom Žilina
, Slovakia
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 western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located 11.1 km (6.9 mi) west of the center of Paris
Kilometre Zero
In many countries, Kilometre Zero or similar terms in other languages, is a particular location , from which distances are traditionally measured...
.
Nanterre is the capital of the Hauts-de-Seine
Hauts-de-Seine
Hauts-de-Seine is designated number 92 of the 101 départements in France. It is part of the Île-de-France region, and covers the western inner suburbs of Paris...
department as well as the seat of the Arrondissement of Nanterre
Arrondissement of Nanterre
The arrondissement of Nanterre is an arrondissement of France, located in the Hauts-de-Seine département, in the Île-de-France région. It has 24 cantons and 15 communes.-Cantons:The cantons of the arrondissement of Nanterre are:...
.
The eastern part of Nanterre, bordering the communes of Courbevoie
Courbevoie
Courbevoie is a commune located very close to the centre of Paris, France. The centre of Courbevoie is situated 2 kilometres from the outer limits of Paris and 8.2 km...
and Puteaux
Puteaux
Puteaux is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located in the heart of the Hauts-de-Seine department from the center of Paris....
, contains a small part of the La Defense
La Défense
La Défense is a major business district of the Paris aire urbaine. With a population of 20,000, it is centered in an orbital motorway straddling the Hauts-de-Seine département municipalities of Nanterre, Courbevoie and Puteaux...
business district of Paris and some of the tallest buildings in the Paris region. Because the headquarters of many major corporations are located in La Défense, the court of Nanterre is well known in the media for the number of high-profile lawsuits and trials that take place in it. The city of Nanterre also includes the University Paris X – Nanterre, one of the largest universities in the Paris region.
Name
The name of Nanterre originated before the Roman conquest of GaulGaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
. The Romans recorded the name as Nemetodorum. It is composed of the Celtic
Celtic languages
The Celtic languages are descended from Proto-Celtic, or "Common Celtic"; a branch of the greater Indo-European language family...
word nemeto meaning "shrine" or "sacred place" and the Celtic word duros (cognate of English door and German Tür) meaning "door or gate", or "fortress". The sacred place referred to is supposed to have been a famous shrine that existed in antiquity on the top of the hill known as Mont-Valérien.
Inhabitants of Nanterre are called Nanterriennes (feminine) and Nanterriens (masculine).
History
Sainte GenevieveGenevieve
St Genevieve , in Latin Sancta Genovefa, from Germanic keno and wefa , is the patron saint of Paris in Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox tradition...
, patron saint of Paris, was born in Nanterre ca. 419–422.
On 27 March 2002, Richard Durn, a disgruntled local activist, shot and killed eight town councilors and 14 others were wounded in what the French press dubbed the Nanterre massacre
Nanterre massacre
The Nanterre massacre refers to an act of mass murder that occurred on March 27, 2002, in Nanterre, France. 33-year-old gunman Richard Durn opened fire at the end of a council meeting, resulting in the deaths of 8 councilors, and the injuries of 19 others...
. On 28 March, the murderer killed himself by jumping from the 4th floor of the « Quai des orfèvres », in Paris, while he was questioned by two policemen about the reason for his killing in the Nanterre City Hall.
Immigration
Administration
Nanterre is divided into three cantons:- The Canton of Nanterre-Nord has a population of 33,173.
- The Canton of Nanterre-Sud-Est has a population of 22,350.
- The Canton of Nanterre-Sud-Ouest has a population of 28,758.
Transport
Nanterre is served by three stations on RER line ARER A
The RER A is one of the five lines in the RER rapid transit system serving :Paris, France.The line runs from the western terminuses Saint-Germain-en-Laye , Cergy Le Haut , and Poissy to the eastern terminuses Boissy-Saint-Léger and Marne-la-Vallée – Chessy .* First inauguration: 12 December 1969*...
: Nanterre – Préfecture, Nanterre – Université, and Nanterre – Ville
Nanterre – Ville (Paris RER)
Nanterre - Ville is a railway station in Nanterre on the A1 branch of the Paris RER commuter rail line....
.
Nanterre – Université station is also an interchange station on the Transilien Paris – Saint-Lazare
Transilien Paris – Saint-Lazare
Transilien Paris – Saint-Lazare is one of the sectors in the Paris Transilien suburban rail network. The trains on this sector depart from Gare Saint-Lazare in central Paris, as well as from Noisy-le-Roi station in the suburbs. Transilien services from Paris – Saint-Lazare are part of the SNCF...
suburban rail line.
Economy
Groupe du LouvreGroupe du Louvre
Groupe du Louvre is a French company, headquartered in Village 5, La Défense in Nanterre, France.The company is owned by an affiliate of Starwood Capital Group. The luxury hotel division uses the brands Crillon and Concorde Hotels & Resorts. Louvre Hôtels, the budget division, has the brands...
and subsidiary Louvre Hôtels
Louvre Hôtels
Louvre Hôtels is a hotel company and an affiliate of the Groupe du Louvre, which is owned by the Starwood Capital Group. It is headquartered in Village 5, La Défense in Nanterre, France.The group owns several brands, which vary by star rankings...
have their head office in Village 5 in La Défense
La Défense
La Défense is a major business district of the Paris aire urbaine. With a population of 20,000, it is centered in an orbital motorway straddling the Hauts-de-Seine département municipalities of Nanterre, Courbevoie and Puteaux...
and Nanterre.
Sport
The rugby unionRugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
club Racing Métro 92, currently based in another Paris suburb, Colombes
Colombes
Colombes is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.-History:On 13 March 1896, 17% of the territory of Colombes was detached and became the commune of Bois-Colombes ....
, are planning to build a new stadium in Nanterre. The venue, scheduled to open in 2014, is tentatively known as Arena 92
Arena 92
Arena 92 is a stadium that the French rugby union club Racing Métro 92 plans to build in the western suburbs of Paris. It will replace their current stadium Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir. Due to open in 2014, its rugby capacity will be 32,000; it will also be able to host concerts, with a...
. It will have a capacity of 32,000 for rugby and 40,000 for concerts.
See also
- La DéfenseLa DéfenseLa Défense is a major business district of the Paris aire urbaine. With a population of 20,000, it is centered in an orbital motorway straddling the Hauts-de-Seine département municipalities of Nanterre, Courbevoie and Puteaux...
business district. - List of tallest structures in Paris
- Communes of the Hauts-de-Seine department
Twin towns
CraiovaCraiova
Craiova , Romania's 6th largest city and capital of Dolj County, is situated near the east bank of the river Jiu in central Oltenia. It is a longstanding political center, and is located at approximately equal distances from the Southern Carpathians and the River Danube . Craiova is the chief...
, Romania Pesaro
Pesaro
Pesaro is a town and comune in the Italian region of the Marche, capital of the Pesaro e Urbino province, on the Adriatic. According to the 2007 census, its population was 92,206....
, Italy Tlemcen
Tlemcen
Tlemcen is a town in Northwestern Algeria, and the capital of the province of the same name. It is located inland in the center of a region known for its olive plantations and vineyards...
, Algeria Novgorod
Veliky Novgorod
Veliky Novgorod is one of Russia's most historic cities and the administrative center of Novgorod Oblast. It is situated on the M10 federal highway connecting Moscow and St. Petersburg. The city lies along the Volkhov River just below its outflow from Lake Ilmen...
, Russia Watford
Watford
Watford is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, situated northwest of central London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway. The borough is separated from Greater London to the south by the urbanised parish of Watford Rural in the Three Rivers District.Watford was created as an urban...
, United Kingdom Žilina
Žilina
Žilina is a city in north-western Slovakia, around from the capital Bratislava, close to both the Czech and Polish borders. It is the fourth largest city of Slovakia with a population of approximately 85,000, an important industrial center, the largest city on the Váh river, and the seat of a...
, Slovakia
External links
- Official website
- Université Paris 10 Nanterre (in French)
- Nanterre students (in French)
- News coverage of March 2006 University occupation (in English)
- Pictures of Nanterre (in French)
- Nanterre Cathedral gallery of pictures
