Toulon (Provençal Occitan: Tolon in classical norm or Touloun in Mistralian norm) is a city in southern France and a large military harbour on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur région, Toulon is the préfecture (capital) of the Var département, in the former province of Provence.
Toulon | |
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Location of  | |
| Country | France |
| Arrondissement | Toulon |
| Canton | Chief town of 9 cantons |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 83137 / |
Population of the city (commune) at the 2004 census was 168,639 inhabitants. Population of the whole metropolitan area (in French: aire urbaine) at the 2004 census was 608,000 inhabitants.
Toulon is an important centre for naval constructions, fishing, wine making, and the manufacture of aeronautical equipment, armaments, maps, paper, tobacco, printing, shoes and electronic equipment.
History
In ancient times the area of Toulon was colonized by the Ligures, and was called Telo Martius by the Romans after their colonization. They had a naval signal station on the gulf shores. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire it was frequently attacked by Saracen pirates.
At the time of King Charles VIII of France it became a site of naval constructions, starting also its traditional military role.
Toulon was used as an Ottoman naval base under admiral Barbarossa during the winter of 1543-1544. To facilitate the Turkish crews, the Christian population had been evacuated.
The military harbour was later fortified by Cardinal Richelieu, Jean-Baptiste Colbert and Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban. It witnessed the naval Battle of Toulon (1707), part of the War of Spanish Succession, and the Battle of Toulon (1744).
Napoleon Bonaparte rose to fame after his decisive role at the Siege of Toulon in 1793.
After the Allied landings in North Africa (Operation Torch) the German Army occupied southern France (Case Anton), leading to the scuttling of the French Fleet at Toulon 27 November 1942.
Today, Toulon is the major naval centre on France's Mediterranean coast home of the French Navy airplane carrier Charles De Gaulle and her battle group. The French Mediterranean Fleet is based in Toulon.
Ecclesiastical history
The legend which states that a certain Cleon, who accompanied St. Lazarus to Gaul, was the founder of the Church of Toulon, is based on an apocryphal document composed in the fourteenth century and ascribed to a sixth-century bishop named Didier.
Honoratus and Gratianus, according to the "Gallia Christiana", were the first bishops of Toulon whose names are known to history, but Duchesne gives Augustalis as the first historical bishop. He assisted at councils in 441 and 442 and signed in 449 and 450 the letters addressed to Pope Leo I from the province of Arles.
A Saint Cyprian, disciple and biographer of St. Cæsarius of Arles, is also mentioned as a Bishop of Toulon. His episcopate, begun in 524, had not come to an end in 541; he converted to Catholicism two Visigothic chiefs, Mandrier and Flavian, who became anchorites and martyrs on the peninsula of Mandrier.
Main sights
Much of the historical town was destroyed during World War II. Site remainings include:
- The Cathedral of Sainte-Marie-de-la-Seds, founded in 1906.
- The rebuilt church of Sain-Louis.
- The Opéra de Toulon, the largest of the province.
- The Tour royale.
- The Watch Tower.
- National Museum of the Navy.
- Museums of Art and Asian Arts.
Culture
Toulon is home to the largest High School of France (Lycée Dumont D'Urville) and the largest opera house after Paris.
Literary
Toulon figures prominently in Victor Hugo's Les Misérables. It is the location of the infamous prison in which the protagonist Jean Valjean spends 19 years in hard labour. Toulon is also the birthplace of the novel's antagonist, Javert, and the place where Valjean and Javert first meet.
Gastronomy
- Mediterranean cuisine and from Provence
- The cade toulonnaise, spéciality composed of à chickpea flour
- The Chichi Frégi, kind of donut from Provence
Sport
The region is famous for being the host of the finals of the annual Toulon Tournament - a football tournament of under 20 national players from around the whole world. The city's top football club is Sporting Toulon Var, currently playing in the third level of French Football (Championnat National). Famous players such as David Ginola, Delio Onis, Jean Tigana, Christian Dalger or more recently Sebastien Squillacci formerly played for Sporting.
The region is home to rugby union club RC Toulon, currently playing in Rugby Pro D2 at the Stade Mayol and Hyères-Toulon Var Basket, playing at the top of the Pro A.
Events
culturals
Sports
- National Football French Championship
- Basketball French Championship Pro A
- Women Handball French Championship
- Hockey French Championship
- Rugby French Championship Pro D2
- Toulon tournament in football
Famous people
Toulon was the birthplace of:
- Jean Joseph Marie Amiot, Jesuit
- Capucine, actress
- Félix Mayol, singer and entertainer
- Raimu, actor
- Gilbert Bécaud, singer
- Mireille Darc, actress
Twin cities
La Spezia, Italy, since 1958
Mannheim, Germany, since 1958
Norfolk, USA, since 1988
Kronstadt, Russia, since 1996
Khemisset, Morocco, since 2005
External links
- Yaquoi, Toulon's cultural webzine.
- Toulonnais.com : the monuments, the history, the plans of the city of Toulon. Many photographes inside.
- Toulon information
- Cuverville, Toulon's satirical paper