Sisteron
Encyclopedia
Sisteron is a commune
in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
region
in southeastern France
.
Sisteron is situated on the banks of the River Durance
just after the confluence of the rivers Buëch
and Sasse. It is sometimes called the "Gateway to Provence" because it is in a narrow gap between two long mountain ridges.
It is 135 km (83.9 mi) from Marseille
, also 135 km (83.9 mi) from Grenoble
, 180 km (111.8 mi) from Nice
and 40 km (24.9 mi) from Forcalquier
.
used the route through Sisteron as can be shown by a Latin inscription in the rocks near the road to Authon
. It escaped the barbarian invasions after the fall of Rome
, but was ravaged by the Saracens. It was first fortified by the Counts of Forcalquier
in the 11th century and later was the northern boundary of the domain of the Counts of Provence. In 1483 during the reign of Louis XI
, Sisteron re-joined the kingdom of France. Around this time there were seven plagues that killed two thirds of the population. Between 1562 and 1594 the town and its citadelle was fought over by Protestants and Catholics including two sieges. During this time the walls of the town were built. The plague returned in 1630, and typhus in 1744, killing many of the town's population.
During the French Revolution
the town remained Royalist. Consequently when Napoleon
arrived on his march north after his escape from Elba
in 1815, the town ignored him and let him through.
On 15 August 1944 French B-26 Marauder
bombers and American B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 42nd Bomber Wing tried to destroy the railway bridge and the road bridge which span the Durance. The weather was unfavorable and the bridges were not destroyed. A bomber during a manoeuvre to avoid a collision accidentally dropped several bombs on the town. including a full church, causing about 100 fatalities and seriously damaged the citadel. On August 17, the French aircraft returned and destroyed the bridges.
dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Thyrsus
(Cathédrale Notre Dame des Pommiers et Saint Thyrse). There are three museums of note: the Citadel Museum, the Baden-Powell Scout Museum and Musée Terre & Temps (about the earth and the measurement of time)
Tourist attractions include the countryside, the lido and the airfields at Vaumeilh
, La Motte-du-Caire
and Château-Arnoux-Saint-Auban
, which are dedicated to the sport of gliding
. There is an annual festival with many events throughout the summer months. There is a market every Wednesday. A long distance walk, the GR 6 (Grande Randonnée
) passes east-west through Sisteron.
autoroute
, which now by-passes the town, eliminating it as a notorious 'bottle-neck' for traffic. There is also a railway station on the line from Marseille
to Briançon
and Grenoble
.
, Italy Herbolzheim
, Germany Oliva, Spain Nyingtri, Tibet
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 Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence is a French department in the south of France, it was formerly part of the province of Provence.- History :Nord-de-Provence was one of the 83 original departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790...
department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur or PACA is one of the 27 regions of France.It is made up of:* the former French province of Provence* the former papal territory of Avignon, known as Comtat Venaissin...
region
Régions of France
France is divided into 27 administrative regions , 22 of which are in Metropolitan France, and five of which are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity , but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE website...
in southeastern 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...
.
Sisteron is situated on the banks of the River Durance
Durance
The Durance is a major river in south-eastern France.Its source is in the south-western Alps, in Montgenèvre ski resort near Briançon and it flows south-west through the following départements and cities:* Hautes-Alpes: Briançon, Embrun.* Alpes-de-Haute-Provence: Sisteron, Manosque.* Vaucluse:...
just after the confluence of the rivers Buëch
Buëch
The Buëch is a river in southeastern France, right tributary to the Durance. Its source is in the Dauphiné Alps, near the Grand Ferrand peak. It flows generally southward, for most of its course in the Hautes-Alpes département...
and Sasse. It is sometimes called the "Gateway to Provence" because it is in a narrow gap between two long mountain ridges.
It is 135 km (83.9 mi) from Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
, also 135 km (83.9 mi) from Grenoble
Grenoble
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
, 180 km (111.8 mi) from Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
and 40 km (24.9 mi) from Forcalquier
Forcalquier
Forcalquier is a commune in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department in southeastern France.Forcalquier is located between the Lure and Luberon mountain ranges, about south of Sisteron and west of the Durance river...
.
History
Sisteron has been inhabited for 4000 years. 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....
used the route through Sisteron as can be shown by a Latin inscription in the rocks near the road to Authon
Authon, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
Authon is a commune in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
. It escaped the barbarian invasions after the fall of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, but was ravaged by the Saracens. It was first fortified by the Counts of Forcalquier
Forcalquier
Forcalquier is a commune in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department in southeastern France.Forcalquier is located between the Lure and Luberon mountain ranges, about south of Sisteron and west of the Durance river...
in the 11th century and later was the northern boundary of the domain of the Counts of Provence. In 1483 during the reign of Louis XI
Louis XI of France
Louis XI , called the Prudent , was the King of France from 1461 to 1483. He was the son of Charles VII of France and Mary of Anjou, a member of the House of Valois....
, Sisteron re-joined the kingdom of France. Around this time there were seven plagues that killed two thirds of the population. Between 1562 and 1594 the town and its citadelle was fought over by Protestants and Catholics including two sieges. During this time the walls of the town were built. The plague returned in 1630, and typhus in 1744, killing many of the town's population.
During the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
the town remained Royalist. Consequently when Napoleon
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
arrived on his march north after his escape from Elba
Elba
Elba is a Mediterranean island in Tuscany, Italy, from the coastal town of Piombino. The largest island of the Tuscan Archipelago, Elba is also part of the National Park of the Tuscan Archipelago and the third largest island in Italy after Sicily and Sardinia...
in 1815, the town ignored him and let him through.
On 15 August 1944 French B-26 Marauder
B-26 Marauder
The Martin B-26 Marauder was a World War II twin-engine medium bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company. First used in the Pacific Theater in early 1942, it was also used in the Mediterranean Theater and in Western Europe....
bombers and American B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 42nd Bomber Wing tried to destroy the railway bridge and the road bridge which span the Durance. The weather was unfavorable and the bridges were not destroyed. A bomber during a manoeuvre to avoid a collision accidentally dropped several bombs on the town. including a full church, causing about 100 fatalities and seriously damaged the citadel. On August 17, the French aircraft returned and destroyed the bridges.
Main sights
The town's buildings include the citadel and the 12th century former Sisteron CathedralSisteron Cathedral
Sisteron Cathedral, now the Church of Notre-Dame-des Pommiers is a Roman Catholic church, formerly a cathedral, and national monument of France, in Sisteron, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence.The cathedral, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary...
dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Thyrsus
Saint Thyrsus
Saint Thyrsus or Thyrsos is venerated as a Christian martyr. He was killed for his faith in Sozopolis , Phrygia during the persecution of Decius. Leucius and Callinicus were martyred with him. Tradition states that Thrysus endured many tortures and was sentenced to be sawn in half...
(Cathédrale Notre Dame des Pommiers et Saint Thyrse). There are three museums of note: the Citadel Museum, the Baden-Powell Scout Museum and Musée Terre & Temps (about the earth and the measurement of time)
Tourist attractions include the countryside, the lido and the airfields at Vaumeilh
Vaumeilh
Vaumeilh is a commune in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-Geography:It is a small Provençal village with narrow, winding streets which backs on to a hill...
, La Motte-du-Caire
La Motte-du-Caire
La Motte-du-Caire is a commune in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
and Château-Arnoux-Saint-Auban
Château-Arnoux-Saint-Auban
Château-Arnoux-Saint-Auban is a commune in the department of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur in southeastern France.-Population:Its inhabitants are referred to as Jarlandins.-Places of interest:...
, which are dedicated to the sport of gliding
Gliding
Gliding is a recreational activity and competitive air sport in which pilots fly unpowered aircraft known as gliders or sailplanes using naturally occurring currents of rising air in the atmosphere to remain airborne. The word soaring is also used for the sport.Gliding as a sport began in the 1920s...
. There is an annual festival with many events throughout the summer months. There is a market every Wednesday. A long distance walk, the GR 6 (Grande Randonnée
GR footpath
The Grande Randonnée , Grote Routepaden or Lange-afstand-wandelpaden , Grande Rota or Gran Recorrido is a network of long-distance footpaths in Europe, mostly in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain. In France alone, the trails cover approximately 60,000 km...
) passes east-west through Sisteron.
Transport
Sisteron is served by the A51A51 autoroute
The A51 autoroute is a projected motorway in south east France. It is the long term project to connect Marseille to Grenoble via Aix-en-Provence, the Durance valley and the Department Hautes-Alpes.-Route:...
autoroute
Autoroutes of France
The Autoroute system in France consists largely of toll roads, except around large cities and in parts of the north. It is a network of worth of motorways. Autoroute destinations are shown in blue, while destinations reached through a combination of autoroutes are shown with an added autoroute logo...
, which now by-passes the town, eliminating it as a notorious 'bottle-neck' for traffic. There is also a railway station on the line from Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
to Briançon
Briançon
Briançon a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department....
and Grenoble
Grenoble
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
.
People
- The poet Paul ArènePaul ArènePaul-Auguste Arène, born 26 June 1843 in Sisteron, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and died 17 December 1896 in Antibes, was a Provençal poet and French writer....
(1843–1896) was born in the town. - Louis Antoine JullienLouis Antoine JullienLouis Antoine Jullien was a French conductor and composer of light music.Jullien was born in Sisteron, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, and was baptised Louis George Maurice Adolphe Roche Albert Abel Antonio Alexandre Noë Jean Lucien Daniel Eugène Joseph-le-brun Joseph-Barême Thomas Thomas Thomas-Thomas...
(1812–1860), popular music conductor and composer of light music, was born in Sisteron
Twin towns
FidenzaFidenza
Fidenza is a town and comune in the province of Parma, Emilia-Romagna region, Italy. It has around 24,000 inhabitants. The town was renamed Fidenza in 1927, recalling its Roman name of Fidentia; before, it was called Borgo San Donnino.-History:...
, Italy Herbolzheim
Herbolzheim
Herbolzheim is a town in the district of Emmendingen, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated near the river Elz, 26 km north of Freiburg.For an excellent source of tourist information visit the site http://www.herbolzheim.co.uk...
, Germany Oliva, Spain Nyingtri, Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...