Almenêches

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Almenêches
Almenêches coat of arms
Almenêches (France)
Almenêches
region Normandy
Department Orne
Arrondissement Alencon
Canton Sées
Community association Sources de l'Orne
Coordinates 48 ° 42 '  N , 0 ° 7'  E Coordinates: 48 ° 42 '  N , 0 ° 7'  E
height 158-247 m
surface 20.27 km 2
Residents 716 (January 1, 2017)
Population density 35 inhabitants / km 2
Post Code 61570
INSEE code 61002

Almenêches - former abbey church
Nave

Almenêches is a northern French city and a municipality with 716 inhabitants (at January 1, 2017) in Orne in the region of Normandy .

location

The place Almenêches is located a few kilometers north of the Normandy-Maine nature reserve at an altitude of approx. 180  m . The next larger city is Alençon (approx. 35 km south). The climate is largely influenced by the sea; Rain (approx. 725 mm / year) falls throughout the year.

Population development

year 1800 1851 1901 1954 1999
Residents 1,183 940 739 686 645

The continuing population decline is mainly due to the mechanization of agriculture and the associated loss of jobs.

economy

Traditionally, fields and grazing are practiced to a large extent in the area around the village. Craftsmen, traders and service providers have also settled in the village.

history

As early as the 8th century, a Carolingian Benedictine monastery was built in which St. Opportuna acted as abbess. In 1025 Almenêches was first mentioned as Almanniscus , in 1136 as Castrum Almaniscarum . The place name probably refers to Roman soldiers of Alemannic descent who settled with their families in what is now northern France as part of the Litus Saxonicum towards the end of the 3rd century or the beginning of the 4th century.

Attractions

  • The Carolingian foundation of the Almenêches Abbey , a Benedictine monastery, was destroyed and rebuilt several times; the last remaining nuns were relocated to Argentan in 1737 on the basis of royal orders .
  • The former abbey church from the 16./17. The 19th century was largely preserved and became a parish church. The tower closes in a multi-curved hood ; the facade shows a tracery window in the style of the 17th century. Church construction has been recognized as a monument historique since 1948 .

Personalities

Web links

Commons : Almenêches  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Almenêches - Map with altitude information
  2. ↑ Almenêches - climate diagrams
  3. ↑ Almenêches - History
  4. ↑ Almenêches - former abbey church in the Base Mérimée of the French Ministry of Culture (French)