Aubeterre-sur-Dronne

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Aubeterre-sur-Dronne
Aubaterra
Coat of arms of Aubeterre-sur-Dronne
Aubeterre-sur-Dronne (France)
Aubeterre-sur-Dronne
region Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Department Charente
Arrondissement Angoulême
Canton Tude-et-Lavalette
Community association Lavalette Tude Dronne
Coordinates 45 ° 16 ′  N , 0 ° 10 ′  E Coordinates: 45 ° 16 ′  N , 0 ° 10 ′  E
height 38–111 m
surface 2.39 km 2
Residents 386 (January 1, 2017)
Population density 162 inhabitants / km 2
Post Code 16390
INSEE code
Website Aubeterre-sur-Dronne

Aubeterre-sur-Dronne - the village

Aubeterre-sur-Dronne ( Occitan Aubaterra ) is one of the main village and three hamlets (hamlets) and a number of individual farms (fermes) existing southwestern French community with 386 inhabitants (at January 1, 2017) in the department of Charente in the region Nouvelle-Aquitaine (previously Poitou-Charentes ). The place is classified as one of the "Most Beautiful Villages in France" .

Location and climate

Aubeterre-sur-Dronne is located on the Dronne river in the extreme south of the Charente department at an altitude of about 45 to 90  m . The place is about 50 km (driving distance) south of Angoulême ; the city of Périgueux is about 52 km to the east. The neighboring towns of Saint-Aulaye and Chalais, which are worth seeing , are about 10 km south and 12 km west, respectively. The climate is temperate; Rain (approx. 870 mm / year) falls over the year.

Population development

year 1800 1851 1901 1954 1999 2015
Residents 775 714 714 489 365 391

The continuous decline in population in the 20th century is mainly due to the mechanization of agriculture and the abandonment of small farms.

economy

The inhabitants of the place live mainly from agriculture and forestry as well as from handicrafts and small trade. Renting out holiday homes and apartments ( gîtes ) also plays an important role in the economic life of the small community.

history

Little is known about the history of Aubeterre: The rock church was built in the 7th / 8th centuries. Century, but was expanded in the 12th century. A high medieval castle existed as well as a richly designed Romanesque church. During the Hundred Years War (1337-1453) the place and its castle were temporarily occupied by the English (1346). In the late Middle Ages, the place was the seat of court for 19 parishes and another 40 hamlets in the area.

Attractions

Saint-Jean cave church

The Saint-Jean church, carved out of the rock, has been designated as a Monument historique since 1912 .

Others

Facade of the Saint-Jacques church
  • The parish church of Saint-Jacques with its broad west facade dates from the 12th century. At the beginning of the Huguenot Wars (1562–1598), the originally three-aisled church was destroyed; only the facade remained. In the 17th century, the nave was rebuilt with extremely economical means. The portal zone with its deeply graduated archivolt portal and two side blind portals is designed according to a triumphal arch scheme. The portal closes in a multi-pass arch reminiscent of Moorish architecture (cf. Celles-sur-Belle ). In the zone above there is a thirteen-part blind arcade gallery , the middle arch of which is slightly raised and pierced by a window. A frieze with representations of the signs of the zodiac and monthly work runs at the level of the capitals of the portal . The facade of the church has been recognized as a monument historique since 1862 .
Cloister of the convent
Torburg ( Châtelet )
  • The convent of the 'inferior brothers' ( Couvent des Minimes ) of the Paulaner Order was built in the first half of the 17th century. The chapel and cloister are extraordinarily simple and clear. The building complex, which is now used as an old people's home, has been designated as a Monument historique since 1991 ; Parts can be viewed.
Chateau
  • The castle ( Château d'Aubeterre ), built on a hill (butte) and first mentioned in a document from the year 1004, dates in parts from the 11th to 13th centuries. However, it received its present form essentially in the 16th century. The most striking component is the Torburg ( châtelet ) with its battlement ( mâchikoulis ) ; The recesses of a drawbridge are clearly visible in the masonry - consequently, there must have been a moat in front of the gate . The privately owned castle has been designated as a Monument historique since 1973 .

Others

In 2010 and 2012, Aubeterre served as the backdrop and location for the French television series La Nouvelle Maud .

Personalities

Web links

Commons : Aubeterre-sur-Dronne  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. Entry in the list of the most beautiful villages in France
  2. Aubeterre-sur-Dronne - climate tables
  3. Église souterraine monolithhe, Aubeterre-sur-Dronne in the Base Mérimée of the French Ministry of Culture (French)
  4. Église Saint-Jacques, Aubeterre-sur-Dronne in the Base Mérimée of the French Ministry of Culture (French)
  5. ^ Couvent des Minimes, Aubeterre-sur-Dronne in the Base Mérimée of the French Ministry of Culture (French)
  6. Château, Aubeterre-sur-Dronne in the Base Mérimée of the French Ministry of Culture (French)