Mende
| Mende | ||
|---|---|---|
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| region | Occitania | |
| Department | Lozère ( prefecture ) | |
| Arrondissement | Mende | |
| Canton |
Mende-1 (main town) Mende-2 (main town) |
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| Community association | Coeur de Lozère | |
| Coordinates | 44 ° 31 ' N , 3 ° 30' E | |
| height | 691–1,236 m | |
| surface | 36.56 km 2 | |
| Residents | 12,134 (January 1, 2017) | |
| Population density | 332 inhabitants / km 2 | |
| Post Code | 48000 | |
| INSEE code | 48095 | |
| Website | http://www.mende.fr/ | |
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Mende [ mɑ̃d ] is a French commune with 12,134 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2017) in the Lozère department in the Occitanie region (before 2016 Languedoc-Roussillon ). It is the seat of the prefecture and is the capital of the arrondissement of Mende and the cantons of Mende-Nord and Mende-Sud . Its inhabitants are called Mendois . Mende is the seat of a Catholic diocese .
geography
Mende is located in the south massif Central north of the Cevennes near Mont Lozère at an altitude of over 700 m . The city lies on the left bank of the Lot River and is dominated by Mont Mimat.
Neighboring communities are Chastel-Nouvel in the north, Badaroux in the east, Lanuéjol in the south-east, Brenoux and Saint-Bauzile in the south, Balsièges in the south-west and Barjac and Monts-de-Randon with Servières in the west .
Transport links
Mende is on the major roads Route Nationale 88 ( Lyon - Toulouse ) and Route Nationale 106. There is also a train station for the French SNCF train station and an airport.
history
The region was already settled in the Bronze Age. Mende has long been an important trading center between Languedoc and Auvergne .
Population development
| 1881 | 1891 | 1901 | 1911 | 1921 | 1936 | 1954 | 1962 | 1968 | 1975 | 1982 | 1990 | 1999 | 2006 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.202 | 7,878 | 7,319 | 7.005 | 6.109 | 6,499 | 7,752 | 8,337 | 9,713 | 10,451 | 10,929 | 11,286 | 11,804 | 12,378 |
Attractions
The place has a medieval, historical city center . The Gothic cathedral Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Privat (construction started in 1368) and a medieval bridge, the Pont Notre-Dame from the 13th century, are worth seeing . The town is the starting point for excursions to the Tarn river gorges .
economy
Mende is the location of the wood and jewelry industry . The most important branch of industry are services (tourism, public administration).
The seat of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Lozère department is also located in Mende.
Sports
Mende has a long history in enduro racing . In 1988 the 63rd International Six-Day Race took place there as the most important motorsport event in enduro racing.
The annual 3-day Trèfle (German: 'Kleeblatt') race is internationally known for its beauty.
Personalities
- Élisabeth Filhol (* 1965), French novelist
- Christophe Laurent (* 1977), French racing cyclist
- Alfred Döblin (1878–1957) had an experience of conversion on June 25, 1940 while fleeing via Spain and Portugal to the United States in the Cathedral of Mende, which in 1941 led to his conversion to the Catholic faith.
Town twinning
Mende also maintains town partnerships
- Wunsiedel ( Fichtel Mountains )
- Volterra ( Tuscany )
- Vila Real ( Trás-os-Montes )
