Goust
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| Artist's rendition of Goust and its ruined "City of the Hills" (1899) |
A hamlet in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department of southwestern France. For centuries it was governed as an independent republic, and was never formally annexed by France. Noted for its centenarians, one pensioner was reported to have reached the age of 163.[1]
Geography
Goust occupies one square mile on a plateau at the southern (upper) end of the Ossau Valley in the Western Pyrenees, across the Gave d'Ossau from Eaux Chaudes. At an elevation of 995 m/3264 ft, it is accessible only by a narrow mountain footpath. The nearest commune is Laruns in the valley below.
The community is made up of 10-12 households, with a population fluctuating between 50 and 150 residents. All baptisms, weddings, and burials are performed at the Catholic church in Laruns. Due to its isolated situation, the inhabitants of Goust have evolved a curious funeral custom: the deceased is placed in a coffin and sent down the mountainside via a specially-constructed chute, to be collected at the bottom for burial in the Laruns cemetery.
History
Although self-governing for centuries, Goust's independence was recognized by France and Spain only in 1648. The government consisted of a Council of Ancients composed of 3-12 citizens, who elected a President for a term of five years.[2][3]
In 1896 the president proclaimed a ban on publication of any newspaper without executive authorization, which led to an uprising of the citizens.[4]
Although never formally annexed, Goust has not recently asserted its claim to independence, so is generally considered a part of France.
References
- ^ Cayet, Pierre Victor Palma (1605), Chronologie septenaire de l'histoire de la paix entre les Roys de France et d'Espagne
- ^ "Smallest Republic in the World," Dallas Morning News, August 15, 1896, p 8
- ^ "Pinhead Republics," Boise Sentinel, 1894
- ^ "Fighting for Journalism," Boston Daily Globe, July 14, 1896, p 8
- Dix, Edwin Asa (1890), A Midsummer Drive through the Pyrenees, ch 10
- Moreau, Adolphe (1844), Itinéraire de Pau aux Eaux-Bonnes et aux Eux-Chaudes
- "An Unknown Republic," Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, vol 10, no 244 (Sep 2, 1848), pp 165-166
- Vivien de Saint-Martin, Louis (1875 ff), Nouvelle Dictionnaire de Géographie Universelle, vol 2, p 511
See also
- List of extinct states
- List of historical unrecognized countries
- Former countries in Europe after 1815
- Longevity claims
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