Everything about St Germain-en-laye totally explained
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région=
Île-de-France |
département=
Yvelines(
sous-préfecture) |
arrondissement=Saint-Germain-en-Laye |
canton=Chief town of 2 cantons |
insee=78551| cp=78100| gentilé=Saint-Germanois|
maire=Emmanuel Lamy| mandat=2001-2008 |
intercomm=
none as of 2005|
alt moy=78 m |alt mini=22 m |alt maxi=107 m|
hectares=4,827|
km²=48.27 |
sans=
41,100
38,423|date-sans=Jan. 1, 2005 estimate)
(March 8, 1999 census| dens=851|date-dens=2005}}
» For treaties with this name see Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye (disambiguation)
Saint-Germain-en-Laye is a
commune in the western suburbs of
Paris in
France. It is located 19.1
km (11.9
miles) from the
center of Paris. Inhabitants are called
Saint-Germanois. With its elegant tree-lined streets it is, with Garches-Vaucresson, the wealthiest suburb of Paris, combining both high-end leisure spots and ultra-residential neighborhoods (see
the Golden Triangle of the Yvelines).
It is a
sous-préfecture of the
Yvelines département, being the seat of the
Arrondissement of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. Because it includes the
National Forest of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, it covers approximately 48 km², making it the largest commune in Yvelines. It occupies a large loop of the
Seine. Saint-Germain-en-Laye lies at one of western terminus of the
line A of the
RER.
History
Saint-Germain-en-Laye was founded in 1020 when King
Robert the Pious (
ruled 996-1031) founded a
convent on the site of the present Church of
Saint-Germain.
Prior to the
French Revolution in 1789, it had been a royal town and the Château de Saint-Germain the residence of numerous French monarchs.
The old
château was constructed in 1348 by
King Charles V on the foundations of an old
castle (
château-fort) dating from 1238 in the time of
Saint Louis.
François I was responsible for its subsequent restoration. In 1862,
Napoleon III set up the
Musée des Antiquités Nationales in the estwhile royal château. This museum has exhibits ranging from Paleolithic to Celtic times. The "Dame de Brassempouy" sculpted on a mammoth's ivory tusk around 23,000 years ago is the most famous exhibit in the museum.
Kings
Henri IV and
Louis XIII left their mark on the town.
Louis XIV was born in the château (the city's
coat of arms consequently shows a cradle and the date of his birth), and established Saint-Germain-en-Laye as his principal residence from 1661 to 1681. Louis XIV turned over the château to
King James II after his exile from Britain after the
Glorious Revolution in 1688. King James lived in the Château for 13 years, and his daughter
Louisa Maria Stuart was born in exile here in 1692. King James Stuart is buried in the Church of Saint-Germain.
Saint-Germain-en-Laye is famous for its 2.4 kilometre long stone terrace built by
André Le Nôtre from 1669 to 1673. The terrace provides a view over the valley of the
Seine and, in the distance, Paris.
During the
French Revolution, the name was changed along with many other places whose names held connotations of religion or royalty. Saint-Germain-en-Laye became Montagne-du-Bon-Air.
In the
19th century,
Napoleon I established his cavalry officers training school in the Château-Vieux.
During the occupation from
1940 to
1944, the town was the
German Army Headquarters.
Transport
Saint-Germain-en-Laye is served by
Saint-Germain-en-Laye station on Paris
RER line A.
It is also served by two stations on the
Transilien Paris – Saint-Lazare suburban rail line:
Saint-Germain – Bel-Air – Fourqueux and
Saint-Germain – Grande Ceinture.
Finally, Saint-Germain-en-Laye is also served by
Achères – Grand Cormier station on Paris RER line A and on the Transilien Paris – Saint-Lazare suburban rail line. This station is located in the middle of the
Forest of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, far away from the urbanized part of the commune.
Miscellaneous
Births
Saint-Germain-en-Laye was the birthplace of:
Twin towns
Saint-Germain-en-Laye is twinned with:
Aschaffenburg, Germany - since 1975
Temara, Morocco - since 1982
Ayr, Scotland - since 1984
Winchester, Massachusetts, United States of America - since 1990
Konstancin-Jeziorna, Poland - since 1992Further Information
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