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Mayenne (commune) facts for kids

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Mayenne
The Château de Mayenne, and the Mayenne river
The Château de Mayenne, and the Mayenne river
Coat of arms of Mayenne
Coat of arms
Mayenne is located in France
Mayenne
Mayenne
Location in France
Mayenne is located in Pays de la Loire
Mayenne
Mayenne
Location in Pays de la Loire
Country France
Region Pays de la Loire
Department Mayenne
Arrondissement Mayenne
Canton Mayenne
Area
1
19.88 km2 (7.68 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)
12,900
 • Density 648.9/km2 (1,681/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
53147 /53100
Elevation 82–159 m (269–522 ft)
(avg. 124 m or 407 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Mayenne (/mˈɛn/, French: [majɛn]) is a commune in the Mayenne department, northwestern France. It is a subprefecture of the department. It is situated on the river Mayenne.

History

In medieval times, the town was the seat of the Lords of Mayenne. The town originated when Juhel II of Mayenne (lord of Mayenne, Gorron and Ambrières (1110–1161)) built a monastery near the gate of the pre-existing castle, which led to the formation of the settlement.

Mayenne was besieged twice during the French Wars of Religion, in 1574 and 1590, and suffered substantial damage. It was rebuilt and re-embellished in the following century thanks to the help of Cardinal Mazarin. It however suffered from plague in 1707.

On 9 June 1944, during World War II, it was bombed by the RAF, which caused heavy damage and numerous casualties.

Population

Historical population
Year Pop. ±% p.a.
1968 11,395 —    
1975 12,450 +1.27%
1982 13,333 +0.98%
1990 13,549 +0.20%
1999 13,724 +0.14%
2007 13,555 −0.15%
2012 13,257 −0.44%
2017 12,841 −0.64%
Source: INSEE

Main sights

  • The Château, built in the 10th century (900–920) is an exceptional example of a palace dating from the Carolingian period. Reception room, tower and cellar are remarkably well preserved. The dungeon and ramparts, built in the 13th century to transform the castle into a fortress, still proudly dominate the river and the town of Mayenne. The vaulted rooms and the chapel still have thirteenth century decorations. The chapel dating from the 19th century with its baroque decoration bears witness to the long period of time he was a prison. Once used as a prison, since 2008 it is home to the "Musée du Château de Mayenne" (the Mayenne Castle Museum).
  • The Basilica of Notre-Dame, founded in 1100. Of the original building, only the piers and the arcades of the nave remain.
  • Romanesque church of St. Martin, enlarged in neo-medieval style during the nineteenth century.

Notable people

  • Guy Chantepleure, writer
  • Paul Delaunay, physician and historian
  • Elias Durand, pharmacist and botanist
  • Étiemble, writer
  • Marc Joulaud, politician
  • Édouard Lambert, sports shooter
  • Jean-François Rivière, footballer
  • Romain Salin, footballer
  • Michel Tronchay, priest and historian
  • Élie Sauvage (1814–1871), playwright

Twin towns – sister cities

Mayenne is twinned with:

  • England Devizes, England, United Kingdom
  • Italy Jesi, Italy
  • Germany Waiblingen, Germany

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Mayenne (Mayenne) para niños

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