Château-Thierry

For the vine training system also known as Château-Thierry, see Chateau-Thierry (vine system).
Château-Thierry

Town hall

Coat of arms
Château-Thierry

Coordinates: 49°02′N 3°24′E / 49.04°N 3.40°E / 49.04; 3.40Coordinates: 49°02′N 3°24′E / 49.04°N 3.40°E / 49.04; 3.40
Country France
Region Nord-Pas-de-Calais-Picardie
Department Aisne
Arrondissement Château-Thierry
Canton Château-Thierry
Intercommunality Château-Thierry
Government
 • Mayor (2008–2014) Jacque Krabal
Area1 16.55 km2 (6.39 sq mi)
Population (2012)2 14,329
 • Density 870/km2 (2,200/sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code 02168 / 02400
Elevation 59–222 m (194–728 ft)
(avg. 63 m or 207 ft)

1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Château-Thierry (French: [ʃa.to.tje.ri]) is a French commune situated in the department of the Aisne, in the administrative region of Picardy and in the historic Province of Champagne.

The origin of the name of the town is unknown. The local tradition attributes it to Thierry IV, the penultimate Merovingian king, who was imprisoned by Charles Martel, without a reliable source. Château-Thierry is the birthplace of Jean de La Fontaine and was the location of the First Battle of the Marne and Second Battle of the Marne. The region of Château-Thierry (the arrondissement, to be exact) is called the country of Omois. Château-Thierry is one of 64 French towns to have received the Legion of Honour.

History

Postcard from World War I showing the mounting of the Paris Gun
Battlefield of Chateau-Thierry in 1920.

In the late years of the western Roman empire, a small town called Otmus was settled on a site where the Soissons-Troyes road crossed the Marne river.

During the 8th century, Charles Martel kept king Theuderic IV prisoner in the castle of Otmus. At this time, the town took the name of Castrum Theodorici, later transformed in Château-Thierry (Castle of Thierry, Thierry is the French or early Roman language translation of Theuderic).

In 946, the castle of Château-Thierry was the home of Herbert le-Vieux, Count of Omois (Fr: comte d'Omois) of the House of Vermandois & Soissons.

Château-Thierry was the site of two important battles. The Battle of Château-Thierry (1814) in the Napoleonic Wars between France and Prussia, and Battle of Château-Thierry (1918) in World War I, between the United States and Germany.

In 1918, a mounting for the infamous Paris Gun was found near the castle. The cannon itself was never found.

Geography

Château-Thierry is situated on the Marne River. Chateau-Thierry is situated at 56 miles of Paris.

Château-Thierry

Transport

Château-Thierry is the terminus station of a regional railway line starting from the Gare de l'Est in Paris. It is also one of the exits of the A4 motorway that links Paris with the east part of France. Transval operates the local bus routes.[1]

Personalities

Château-Thierry was the birthplace of Jean de La Fontaine. Teddy Roosevelt's son Quentin was shot down in July 1918 while flying a French SPAD plane during WWI.

Population

Sights

Twin towns

Château-Thierry is twinned with:[2]

Since 2009, a significant rapprochement has also been performed with the City of Indianapolis, IN, USA.

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.cita.asso.fr/Plan_reseaux_et_lignes/plan-transval09.pdf
  2. ↑ Inovagora. "Associations jumelage international".

External links

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