Oloron-Sainte-Marie
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Houses along the 'gave d'Aspe', before its junction with the 'gave d'Ossau' to make the 'gave d'Oloron'
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 Oloron-Sainte-Marie
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Location within Nouvelle-Aquitaine region
Oloron-Sainte-Marie
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| Coordinates: 43°11′41″N 0°36′20″W / 43.1947°N 0.6056°WCoordinates: 43°11′41″N 0°36′20″W / 43.1947°N 0.6056°W | ||
| Country | France | |
| Region | Nouvelle-Aquitaine | |
| Department | Pyrénées-Atlantiques | |
| Arrondissement | Oloron-Sainte-Marie | |
| Intercommunality | Piémont Oloronais | |
| Government | ||
| • Mayor (2014–2020) | Hervé Lucbereilh | |
| Area1 | 68.31 km2 (26.37 sq mi) | |
| Population (2012)2 | 10,678 | |
| • Density | 160/km2 (400/sq mi) | |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | |
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | |
| INSEE/Postal code | 64422 / 64400 | |
| Elevation | 194–1,280 m (636–4,199 ft) (avg. 220 m or 720 ft) |
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1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. 2Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once. |
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1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
Oloron-Sainte-Marie (French pronunciation: [ɔlɔʁɔ̃ sɛ̃t maʁi]) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the region of Béarn in south-western France.
The town was founded by the Romans in the 1st century, then known as Illoronensium. Situated on the Roman way between the important towns of Dax and Saragossa, its position was strategic. Today known as Saint-Great, Gratus of Oloron became in 506 the first known archbishop of the Ancient Diocese of Oloron then known as "Iluro".
The history of the town during the Migration Period is little known. In 1080, the viscount Centule V, Viscount of Béarn built the new city of "Oloron" (medieval version of the Roman name Iluro) on the opposite side of the river from the diocese center. Centulle V restored the Roman walls and founded the strong city of Oloron that was to be used as a base to retake the Aragon held by the Maures. The Oloron Cathedral was built at the beginning of the 12th century. The viscountal town of Oloron and the episcopal town of Sainte-Marie were then rival, but Oloron strived on its textile industry and commerce with neighbouring Spain. Sainte-Marie became economically dependent upon Oloron.
The 18th century was the beginning of revival for Sainte-Marie as the end of French Wars of Religion allowed for restorations and new religious constructions in the town : cathedral, seminary, church Saint-Pierre. Morever, the continued boom of commerce with Spain accelerated the construction of better communication and transportation ways to Oloron and Sainte-Marie.
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