Orleans in France
The city of Orléans is located in Central France(Region Center) and lies on the Loire. The city is famous for its universities and the bishopric, which has a magnificent cathedral. Over 115,000 people live in the city of Orléans. In addition, Orléans is also the seat of the prefecture of the Loiret.
History of Orléans
Where today thecityOrléans, Cenabum used to be in the Gallic and Celtic times. This formed together with the place Autricum (where Chartres is today), the main places of the Gallic tribe of the Carnutes.
The city of Orléans was founded during the reign of the Roman Emperor Aurelian. He named the city Orléans as this is the spoken language of his name.
Orléans was briefly an independent kingdom between 511 and 613. But like Paris it could not prevail and develop further. This was followed by a time as an administrative unit of a county. Towards the end of the Middle Ages, the rulers of this region managed to achieve the title of duke. In the Hundred Years’ War Orléans played an important role. Here was the last French bastion in the war against the English. The famous young woman Joan of Arc, whose nickname is “The Maid of Orléans”, was able to liberate the city from the siege. She led the troops to the all-important victory on May 8, 1429.
Sights in Orléans
Since 1855 there has been an equestrian statue of Joan of Arc in the center of the old town on the Place du Martroi.
After the bombing of World War II in 1940, the Jacques Boucher’s house completely destroyed. It was rebuilt true to detail. It shows a diorama, which reconstructs the story of the Maid of Orléans up to the liberation from the siege.
Probably the most famous building in the city is the Cathedrale Ste-Croix, the Holy Cross Cathedral. It dates back to 1278. If you walk east from Place du Martroi, you will come straight to the cathedral. Before that there was a church from the 10th century. The cathedral was built on the ruins.
The residents of Orléans are attached to this building because it has been destroyed by a lot. The fighting in the Hundred Years War between the French raged here and the English armed forces. Huguenot troops later came into the country and destroyed the cathedral on May 24, 1568. So the cathedral had to be almost completely rebuilt. The last serious destruction was caused by the German bombs during the air raid in World War II. Today you can hardly see anything of all this terrible damage. Everything has been restored and restored almost perfectly. And so the cathedral is nowadays one of the tourist magnets. A visit is also really recommended. The beautifully designed windows also show a picture of Joan of Arc, for example.
Architecturally inside as well as outside, the cathedral impresses with the many different styles, from modern times to baroque to medieval styles. All eras have left their mark. When visiting the city of Orléans, you have to see this building.
