Trois

Like many other French cities, the name Troyes is derived from the Celtic tribe - in this case, the trikasses . In the 1st century BC e. conquered by Julius Caesar . In 451, the local Bishop Loop organized the defense of the city from the Huns . In 889, the Normans devastated.

In the Middle Ages, Troyes became the residence of the feudal counts who ruled the whole Champagne. The city was decorated with numerous churches and almshouses, and crowded fairs made it one of the most prosperous centers of medieval Europe. He gave the name to the Troy system of scales .

In the abbey of st. Magnifier acted as a large scriptorium . In 1129, the church council met in Troyes, which adopted the charter of the Knights Templar . In 1420, an English-French treaty was concluded in Troyes, which almost ended the Hundred Years War . In 1429, in Troyes, his liberator, Jeanne d'Arc, was honored.

In the XVI century, especially after the terrible fire of 1524, Troyes loses its former commercial significance. The basis of the economy is hosiery . During religious wars, local Huguenots were repeatedly subjected to repression. After the abolition of the Nantes Edict in 1685, enterprising Calvinists left Champagne, which greatly inhibited its industrial development.

Since the 12th century, textile production has been developing in Troyes. By the beginning of the XIX century, hundreds of small manufactories were operating here, supplying France and other European countries with their products. In 1914, 58 companies specialized in the production of hosiery functioned in the city. Since the 1970s, the industry has been seized by the crisis, many factories have closed, and some factory buildings have been restored as monuments of industrial architecture and redeveloped into office centers or residential buildings with loft apartments. Nevertheless, such large textile manufacturers as Lacoste (more than 1000 workers), Petit Bateau , DD are still working in the city. The factories have giant outlet stores popular with tourists ^[1] .

In addition, there are factories in the city: for the production of tires (Kleber - Michelin ), chemical (Magiline), paper, etc.

SNCF Troyes Train Station is located in the historic city center. Routes of long-distance trains connecting Troyes with Paris , Dijon and Mulhouse , as well as a number of regional TER trains pass through it.

Troyes is also located at the crossroads of the national motorways A5 ( Paris - Troyes - Langres ) and A26 ( Calais - Reims - Troyes).

Monuments and tourist sites

Despite the wars and fires, the city was able to preserve its vast architectural heritage. Nowadays, many buildings are protected by the status of a national historical monument . In the city of Troyes, there are 42 monuments, 35 of which are concentrated in the central area of ​​the city, called “Champagne cork”, and 21 monuments are classified by the highest level of protection.

Since the 1950s, the city has implemented a national program for the organization of Zones for the Protection of Architectural and Natural Heritage (ZPPAUP) ^{[V 1]} .

City Mansions

The city hall of Troyes was erected from 1624 to 1672. Included in the list of historical monuments in 1932 , the building has in its portico a remarkably preserved statue of Minerva in the helmet, as well as a revolutionary slogan in its original form: One indivisible republic - Freedom, equality, fraternity, or death .

The mansion “Le Lion noir” (Black Lion), located on the street of Emil Zola ( rue Émile-Zola ) is decorated with a facade typical of the late Renaissance . A great rarity is its spiral staircase, most of the building is made of stone of that era. The mansion belonged to the Yue family ( fr. Huez ). Now it is included in the preliminary list of world heritage of the XVI century.

Within the walls of the Hôtel-Dieu-le-Comte mansion, the Count City Hospital was originally located; It was built by Count Champagne Henry the Generous and was administered by the nuns of the Augustinian Order until the French Revolution . Since 1992, the Trois University Center has been located here ^[2] .

The list of Historic Monuments also includes the building of the prefecture of the O department (XIX century, guarded since 1988), the Hôtel de Marisy mansion (guarded since 1992), the Hôtel de Mauroy mansion (guarded since 1862).

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  Hôtel de Mauroy Mansion

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  Troyes City Hall

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  Hôtel du Lion noir mansion

Religious buildings

Of the 25 churches of medieval Troyes, only ten survived. Many are decorated with stained-glass windows and sculptures of the early 16th century:

The Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul , the construction of which was begun in 1208 , is the main historical monument in Troyes, as well as the center of the Troyes diocese . The construction of the cathedral took place from the 13th to the 17th century. The cathedral is decorated with 180 stained-glass windows; it stores the relics of Saints Bernard of Clairvaux and Malachi .

The Gothic building of the Basilica of Saint Urban in Troyes was built from the 13th century on the initiative of Pope Urban IV , at the place where his father’s shoe workshop was located. It was built in the 13th century Gothic style, and its roof is covered with glazed tiles . This church became a basilica in 1964 , and the building was added to the register of historical monuments as early as 1840 ^[3] .

Built in the 16th century, the church of St. Nizier (Nikita of Lyons) got its name in honor of the relics of St. Nizier, placed here in the VI century. The church was built in the Gothic style and has many outstanding stained glass windows representing Jesus , the life of the saints, the tradition of the Three Marys , as well as the scenes of the Last Judgment ^[4] , and three sculptures in which date back to the 16th century ^[5] . The building was included in the register of national historical monuments in 1840 ^[3] .

In the church of Saint-Jean-du-Marche (erected in the XIII century, reconstructed in the XVI century), King Henry V of England was married to Catherine Valois , daughter of French Charles VI the Mad and Isabella of Bavaria ^[6] .

The most ancient in Troyes (Saint-Jean quarter) is the Church of Saint-Madeleine ( French Sainte-Madeleine ) (built in the period from XIII to XVI century). Attention worthy of the statue of St. Martha and the outstanding stained glass window representing the Creation of the world . The building was included in the register of national historical monuments in 1840 ^[3] .

The late Gothic church of St. Remigius is known for its gigantic 60-meter spire .

In the Trois synagogue, Rabbi Rashi created an influential Jewish school that received pan-European recognition. The synagogue was restored in the XX century. It contains a half-timbered house built in the 16th century and a second house dating from the 18th century, in the style of Louis XV ) ^[7] .

In total, Troyes has ten ancient religious buildings located in the city center.

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  Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul

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  Church of Saint Madeleine

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  Former Troyes Seminary

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  Basilica of St. Urban

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  Stained glass window of St. Urban Basilica

Noteworthy Streets and Urban Architecture

Considered the narrowest street of the city, the street of Cats ( French ruelle des Chats ), clearly shows the principle of building city streets in the Middle Ages , which narrowed to the top. Each next floor protruded above the street stronger than the lower floors. The reason for this lies in the fact that real estate tax was levied based on the area of ​​the house at ground level. This street owes its name to the fact that the cat could go from one side to the other, due to the fact that the houses at the level of the roofs were almost touching ^[8] .

Street rue Émile-Zola in the Middle Ages was the most important shopping street in Troyes. It was reconstructed in 2003-2004.

The music pavilion was built in 1887 in a square near the jardin du Rocher garden. Developed by the architect Vermo based on the idea of ​​Jean-Baptiste Brisonne ^[9] , the pavilion is crowned with a hexagonal zinc roof and a bell-shaped bell-shaped bell ^[10] .

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  Traditional city houses

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  Lane in Troyes

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  Cat street

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  Emil Zola Street

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  Half-timbered houses in Troyes

Museums

There are 9 museums in Troyes, of which four are municipal. They collected exhibits representing the rich cultural heritage and history of the city (archaeological finds, objects of art, paintings, sculptures, etc.).

• Museum of Modern Art ^{[V 2]} ;
• Museum of working tools and ideas ;
• Voluizan Museum , which houses:
  • Museum of the History of Troyes and Champagne ;
  • Museum of stockings .
• Pharmacy in the mansion "Hôtel-Dieu-le-Comte" ^{[V 3]} ;
• Saint-Loop Museum ( Museum of Fine Arts ) ^{[V 4]} , housed in the buildings of the ancient Saint-Loop Abbey;
• Di Marco Museum ^[11] .

Green spaces

Near Troyes is located the regional natural park Foret d'Orian (occupied area of ​​80,000 hectares). Formed in 1966 , it is one of the first natural parks in France.

Gastronomy

Important elements of the gastronomic heritage of Troyes and the entire department of Ob are champagne wines , as well as cider produced in the natural region of Haut ( French Pays d'Othe ). Sparkling champagne is produced in three areas located near Côte de Bar , and near the villages of Mongue and Vilnox-la-Grand . In general, Ob vineyards occupy an area of ​​7132 hectares, which is 22% of all land where champagne is allowed . Therefore, Troyes and his department are the second largest producer of champagne wines ^[12] . As for the Pays d'Othe cider , it has been produced in the region since the 16th century thanks to 50,000 apple trees, the yield of which allows to produce about 100 thousand bottles of cider every year ^[13] . The region also produces Rosé des Riceys (Rosé de Risé) rosé wine , which is included in the list of the best French wines ^[14] , low-alcohol Cacibel , prepared on the basis of cider, blackcurrant and honey, as well as prunelle de Troyes liqueur with a strength of 40 ° C, infused on the bones of thorns .

The sausage Andulet from Troyes is traditionally prepared on the basis of sliced ​​pork stomachs placed in a bungus (pig's large intestine). The gastronomic critic Pierre-Brice Lebrun, in his work L'andouillette de Troyes ^[15] , indicates that the andulet was produced and was very popular in Troyes as far back as the 16th century.

Of the popular Trois cheeses, one can note shaurs , a soft cheese made from cow's milk in a moldy crust, which in 1996 received a certificate of name by origin (AOP) ^[16] . And finally, in the gastronomy of Troyes, one can mention the well-known Briensky sauerkraut, the Jaco chocolate workshop (part of the Cémoi group), hemp oil and Obska lamb.

• Saint Lou of Troyes ( Loup de Troyes ; d. 478/479) is a city bishop whose memory is celebrated by the Catholic Church on July 29.
• Jewish rabbi Rashi , (initials from rabbi Shlomo I Tskhok; 1040-1105) - commentator on the Bible and Talmud, head of the Talmudic school (academy) in Troyes.
• Saint Theobald of Provence ( Thibaut de Provins ; Latin: Theobaldus ; 1039-1066) is a hermit, canonized in 1073.
• Troyes is the capital of Champagne, many counts of Champagne have contributed to the development of this historic province and its culture.
  • Henry I (Count of Champagne) (1127–1181) - Count of Champagne and Bree, participant in the Second Crusade (1147–1149).
  • Thibault IV (Count of Champagne) (1201-1253) - Earl of Champagne and Bree, a poet nicknamed the "Prince of the Truvers."
• Chretien de Trois (c. 1135 - c. 1183) - an outstanding poet of the XII century, the author of chivalric poetic novels about Arthur, Merlin and Lancelot.
• The brothers Mignard, Nicola ( Nicolas Mignard ; 1606–1668) and Mignard, Pierre (1612–1695) are artists ^[17] .
• Coue, Emil (1857-1926) - a psychologist and pharmacist who developed a method of psychotherapy and personal growth based on self-hypnosis.
• Herriot, Edouard (1872-1957) - statesman and politician, prime minister.

For a complete list, see Liste de personnalités liées à Troyes (French)

•   Tournai , Belgium (1951)
•   Darmstadt , Germany (1958)
•   Alkmaar , The Netherlands (1958)
•   Zielona Gora , Poland (1970)
•   Chesterfield , UK (1978)

City Museums

Other notes

• City website (French)
• Webcam in the city center (French)
• Groupe ADPS (Ob Society for the Development of Social Programs and Professional Education) (fr.)
• UTT (Technological University of Troyes) (French)
• Museums of the city (French)
• Office of Tourism in Troyes and its region