For other places named Montpellier or Montpelier, seeMontpelier.
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Since the 1990s, Montpellier has experienced one of the strongest economic anddemographic growths in the country.[citation needed] Its urban area has experienced the highest population growth in France since the year 2000. Numbering 70,000, students comprise nearly one-fourth of its population, one of the highest such proportions in Europe.[8] Its living environment, with one of Europe's largest pedestrian areas,[9] along with its rich cultural life andMediterranean climate, explains the enthusiasm for the city, which is nicknamed the "Gifted". Montpellier was nominated for "Best Emerging Culture City of the Year 2017" by the think tank LCD.[10] It is ranked as a Sufficiency city by theGlobalization and World Cities Research Network.
In theEarly Middle Ages, the nearby episcopal town of Maguelone was the major settlement in the area but raids bypirates encouraged settlement a little farther inland. In 737Charles Martel destroyedMaguelone.[11]
Montpellier, first mentioned in a document of 985, was founded under a localfeudal dynasty, the Guilhem, who combined two hamlets and built a castle and walls around the united settlement. The name is from medieval Latinmons pisleri, "Woad Mountain" referring to thewoad (Latinpastellus,pestellus) used for dyeing locally. There is no real "mountain" in the area, with themons referring to a pile of stones.[12] In 986 theLords of Montpellier begin withWilliam I of Montpellier. In the 10th century the town consisted of two portions, Montpellier and Montpelliéret.[11] In 1160 the law school was active.[11]
Peyrou water tower
The two surviving towers of the city walls, theTour des Pins and theTour de la Babotte, were built later, around the year 1200. Montpellier came to prominence in the 12th century—as a trading centre, with trading links across the Mediterranean world, and a rich Jewish cultural life that flourished within traditions of tolerance ofMuslims, Jews andCathars—and later of its Protestants.William VIII of Montpellier gave freedom for all to teach medicine in Montpellier in 1180. The city's faculties of law and medicine were established in 1220 by CardinalConrad of Urach, legate ofPope Honorius III; the medical faculty has, over the centuries, been one of the major centres for the teaching of medicine in Europe. This era marked the high point of Montpellier's prominence. The city became a possession of theKings of Aragon in 1204 by the marriage ofPeter II of Aragon withMarie of Montpellier, who was given the city and its dependencies as part of herdowry.
Montpellier gained a charter in 1204 when Peter and Marie confirmed the city's traditional freedoms and granted the city the right to choose twelve governing consuls annually. Under the Kings of Aragon, Montpellier became a very important city, a major economic centre and the primary centre for the spice trade in the Kingdom of France. It was the second or third most important city of France at that time, with some 40,000 inhabitants before theBlack Death. Montpellier remained a possession of the crown of Aragon until it passed toJames III of Majorca, who sold the city to the French kingPhilip VI in 1349, to raise funds for his ongoing struggle withPeter IV of Aragon.
From the middle of the 14th century until the French Revolution (1789), Montpellier was part of theprovince of Languedoc.
In the 14th century,Pope Urban VIII gave Montpellier a new monastery dedicated toSaint Peter, noteworthy for the very unusual porch of its chapel, supported by two high, somewhat rocket-like towers. With its importance steadily increasing, the city finally gained a bishop, who moved fromMaguelone in 1536, and the huge monastery chapel became a cathedral. In 1432,Jacques Cœur established himself in the city and it became an important economic centre, until 1481 when Marseilles overshadowed it in this role.
At the time of theReformation in the 16th century, many of the inhabitants of Montpellier became Protestants (orHuguenots as they were known in France) and the city became a stronghold of Protestant resistance to the Catholic French crown. Montpellier was among the most important of the 66villes de sûreté ('cities of protection' or 'protected cities') that theEdict of Nantes granted to the Huguenots. The city's political institutions and the university were all handed over to the Huguenots.
Increasing tension with Paris led to KingLouis XIIIbesieging the city in 1622. The city surrendered after a two-month siege. Peace terms called for the dismantling of the city's fortifications and the building of the royalCitadel of Montpellier to secure the city for the government. The university and consulate were taken over by the Catholic party. Even before theEdict of Alès in 1629, Protestant rule was dead and theville de sûreté was no more.[citation needed]
Louis XIV made Montpellier capital ofBas Languedoc, and the town started to embellish itself, by building thePromenade du Peyrou, the Esplanade and a large number of houses in the historic centre.
During the 19th century the city thrived on the wine culture that it was able to produce due to the abundance of sun throughout the year. The wine consumption in France allowed Montpellier's citizens to become very wealthy until in the 1890s thephylloxera induced fungal disease had spread amongst the vineyards and the people were no longer able to grow the grapes needed for wine.[13]
After this the city grew because it welcomed French repatriates from Algeria and other parts of northern Africa afterAlgeria's independence from France. In the 21st century Montpellier is between France's number seventh and eighth largest city. The city had another influx in population more recently, largely due to the student population, who make up about one-fourth of Montpellier's population. The school of medicine kickstarted the city's thriving university culture,[17] though many other universities have been well established there. The coastal city also benefited in the past 40 years from major construction programs such asAntigone, Port Marianne and Odysseum districts.
The city is situated on hilly ground 10 km (6 mi) inland from the Mediterranean coast, on the riverLez.
Montpellier is located 170 km (106 mi) fromMarseille, 242 km (150 mi) fromToulouse, and 748 km (465 mi) from Paris.
Montpellier's highest point is the Place du Peyrou, at an altitude of 57 m (187 ft). The city is built on two hills, Montpellier and Montpelliéret, thus some of its streets have great differences of altitude. Some of its streets are also very narrow and old, which gives it a more intimate feel.
Montpellier has aMediterranean climate (KöppenCsa), with cool, damp winters, and hot, rather dry summers. The monthly mean ranges from 7.2 °C (45.0 °F) in January to 24.1 °C (75.4 °F) in July. Precipitation is around 630 millimetres (24.8 in), and is greatest in fall and winter, but not absent in summer, either. Extreme temperatures have ranged from −17.8 °C (−0.04 °F) recorded on 5 February 1963 and up to 43.5 °C (110.3 °F) on 28 June 2019.
Climate data for Montpellier (MPL), elevation: 1 m (3 ft), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1946–present
Since 2001, Montpellier has been divided into seven official neighbourhoods, themselves divided into sub-neighbourhoods. Each of them possesses a neighbourhood council.
Montpellier-centre : historical centre (Écusson), Comédie, Gares, Faubourg Boutonnet, Saint-Charles, Faubourg Saint-Jaume, Peyrou, Les Arceaux, Figuerolles, Faubourg du Courreau, Gambetta, Clémenceau, Méditerranée, boulevard de Strasbourg, Le Triangle, Polygone, Antigone, Nouveau-Monde, Parc à Ballons, Les Aubes, Les Beaux-Arts, Saint-Lazare.
Croix-d'Argent : avenue de Toulouse, Croix d'Argent, Mas Drevon, Tastavin, Lemasson, Garosud, Mas de Bagnères, Mas Nouguier, les Sabines, Lepic, Pas du Loup, Estanove, les Bouisses, Val-de-Crozes, Bagatelle.
LesCévennes : Les Cévennes, Alco, Le Petit Bard, Pergola, Saint-Clément, Clémentville, Las Rebès, La Chamberte, La Martelle, Montpellier-Village, Les Grisettes, Les Grèzes.
Mosson : La Mosson, Celleneuve, La Paillade, les Hauts-de-Massane, Le Grand-Mail, Les Tritons.
Hôpitaux-Facultés : Malbosc, Saint-Priest, Euromédecine, Zolad, Plan des 4 Seigneurs, Hôpitaux, IUT, Père Soulas, Universités, Vert-Bois, Hauts de Boutonnet, Aiguelongue, Justice, Parc zoologique de Lunaret, Agropolis.
Port-Marianne : La Pompignane, Richter, Millénaire, Jacques Cœur, Consuls de Mer, Grammont, Odysseum, Montaubérou, La Méjanelle, Cambacérès.
Prés d'Arènes : Les Prés d'Arènes, Avenue de Palavas, La Rauze, Tournezy, Saint-Martin, Les Aiguerelles, Pont-Trinquat, Cité Mion.
The wholemetropolitan area had a population of 813,272 at the 2020 census.[4] In a study made by INSEE from 2007 to 2012 Montpellier saw the strongest population growth of France's main communes (+1.1%), ahead of Paris and Lyon. For most of its history, and even today, Montpellier has been known for its significant Spanish population, heritage and influence. Montpellier also houses significant Moroccan, Algerian, and Italian communities.
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. Updates on reimplementing the Graph extension, which will be known as the Chart extension, can be found onPhabricator and onMediaWiki.org.
The arms of Montpellier areblazoned: Azure, a madonna proper, vested gules and azure, sitting on an antique throne Or, holding a Baby Jesus proper vested azure, in chief the uncial letters A and M, and in base on an inescutcheon argent a torteau (gules).
In the historic centre, a significant number ofhôtels particuliers (i.e. mansions) can be found. The majority of the buildings of the historic centre of Montpellier (called the Écusson because its shape is roughly that of anescutcheon) have medieval roots and were modified between the 16th and the 18th centuries. Some buildings, along Rue Foch and the Place de la Comédie, were built in the 19th century.
The Rue du Bras de Fer (Iron Arm Street) is very typical of the medieval Montpellier.
The mikve, ritual Jewish bath, dates back to the 12th century and is one of very few oldmikves preserved in Europe.
ThePorte du Peyrou, atriumphal arch built at the end of the 17th century, and the Place Royal du Peyrou built in the 17th century, are the highest point of the Ecusson.
The Tour des Pins, the only remaining of 25 towers of the city medieval walls, built around 1200.
The Tour de la Babotte, a medieval tower which was modified in the 18th century to house an observatory.
It is not known exactly at what date the schools of literature were founded which developed into the Montpellier faculty of arts; it may be that they were a direct continuation of theGallo-Roman schools. The school of law was founded byPlacentinus, a doctor fromBologna University, who came to Montpellier in 1160, taught there during two different periods, and died there in 1192. With regard to the school of medicine, there were excellent physicians at Montpellier. The statutes given in 1220 by Cardinal Conrad, legate ofHonorius III, which were completed in 1240 by Pierre de Conques, placed this school under the direction of theBishop of Maguelonne.Pope Nicholas IV issued a Bull in 1289, combining all the schools into a university, which was placed under the direction of the bishop, but which in fact enjoyed a large measure of autonomy.
Theology was at first taught in the convents, in whichSt. Anthony of Padua,Raymond Lullus, and the DominicanBernard de la Treille lectured. Two letters of King John prove that a faculty of theology existed at Montpellier independently of the convents, in January 1350. By a Bull of 17 December 1421,Martin V granted canonical institution to this faculty and united it closely with the faculty of law. In the 16th century the faculty of theology disappeared for a time, whenCalvinism, in the reign ofHenry II of France, held complete possession of the city. It resumed its functions afterLouis XIII had reestablished the royal power at Montpellier in 1622; but the rivalries ofDominicans andJesuits interfered seriously with the prosperity of the faculty, which disappeared at the Revolution. The faculty numbered among its illustrious pupils of lawPetrarch, who spent four years at Montpellier, and among its lecturersGuillaume de Nogaret, chancellor toPhilip the Fair,Guillaume de Grimoard, afterwards pope under the name of Urban V, andPedro de Luna,antipope as Benedict XIII. But after the 15th century this faculty fell into decay, as did also the faculty of arts, although for a time, underHenry IV of France, the latter faculty had among its lecturersIsaac Casaubon.
The Montpellier school of medicine owed its success to the ruling of the Guilhems, lords of the town, by which any licensed physician might lecture there; there was no fixed limit to the number of teachers, lectures were multiplied, and there was a great wealth of teaching.Rabelais took his medical degrees at Montpellier. It was in this school that the biological theory ofvitalism, elaborated byBarthez (1734–1806), had its origin. The French Revolution did not interrupt the existence of the faculty of medicine.
The faculties of science and of letters were re-established in 1810; that of law in 1880. It was on the occasion of the sixth centenary of the university, celebrated in 1889, that the Government of France announced its intention—which has since been realized—of reorganizing the provincial universities in France.
University of Montpellier 1 and University of Montpellier 2 reunified in January 2015 to form the University of Montpellier. Paul Valéry University Montpellier, remains a separate entity.[24]
Moreover, Montpellier was ranked 119th best student city in the world for 2013, according to QS Best Student Cities 2023 ranking.[25]
TheTransports de l'agglomération de Montpellier (TaM) manages the city's public transportation, including its 56-kilometre (35 mi)tramway network consisting of four lines and several parking facilities.[27] Line 1 runs from Mosson in the west to Odysseum in the east. Line 2 runs fromJacou in the northeast toSt. Jean-de-Vedas in the southwest. Line 3 and Line 4 opened in April 2012. Line 3, which is 22.4-kilometre (13.9 mi) long, linksJuvignac andPérols with a branch toLattes and serves 32 stations. Line 4 circles the centre and serves as a connector line between the various arms of tram system. They intersect at Gare St. Roch station, Rives du Lez and Corum.
Since 2019, €440 million were invested into the construction of a 5th tramway line, linking the south fromLavérune toClapiers, up north.[28]
Since 21 December 2023, the public transport is free for all residents. Previously, all residents under 18 and over 65 years of age have been transported free of charge since 1 September 2021.[29]
The TaM also manages the largebike sharing schemeVélomagg', started in June 2007, comprising 1200 bicycles and 50 stations.[30][31]
Montpellier was the finish of Stage 11 and the departure of Stage 12 in the2007 Tour de France. It was also the finish of Stage 11 and the departure of Stage 12 in the2016 edition. The city is home to a variety of professional sports teams:
The city is a centre for cultural events as there are many students. Montpellier has two large concert venues: Le Zénith Sud (7.000 seats) and L'Arena (14.000 seats).Le Corum cultural and conference centre contains three auditoriums.
TheFestival de Radio France et Montpellier is a summer festival of opera and other music held in Montpellier. The festival concentrates on classical music and jazz with about 150 events, including opera, concerts, films, and talks. Most of these events are free and are held in the historiccourtyards of the city or in the modernconcert halls of Le Corum near historical city center.
The annual Cinemed, theInternational Mediterranean Film Festival Montpellier, held in the fall, is the second largest French film festival after theCannes Film Festival. Held since 1979, it offers screenings of over 200 long and short films, documentaries, animated films, trailers, and a special program of student films.[33] Other events include panel discussions, exhibitions, and gatherings. Venues include Le Corum and cinema halls.
The name Montpellier is used for towns and streets in as many as four continents.[59][unreliable source?] Many places in the United Kingdom and Ireland carry the name Montpellier. Often they are in resort locations claiming some of the healthy attributes for which the French city was renowned in earlier centuries. The variant spelling "Montpelier" is common, and is of quite early provenance.Brewer uses that spelling. The first example was the early 19th-century suburb ofMontpelier inBrighton.[60]
The capital of the American state ofVermont was namedMontpelier because of the high regard in which the Americans held the French[61] who had aided theirRevolutionary War against theBritish. Several other American cities are also named Montpelier.
Places named Montpellier/Montpelier are also found in Australia, Canada, South Africa, and the Caribbean.
James Madison, the United States fourth president, named his plantationMontpelier (Orange, Virginia), after the resort-like properties associated with the city at the time.
^"MONTPELLIER–AEROPORT (34)"(PDF).Fiche Climatologique: Statistiques 1991–2020 et records (in French). Météo France. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 23 May 2022. Retrieved14 July 2022.
^Midi LibreArchived 13 June 2009 at theWayback Machine (a major daily newspaper in the South of France): "In 2008, 76,000 stations, used 800,000 times, have been registered in Montpellier. A success, and little vandalism compared to theVelib in Paris."
^Tous à VéloArchived 12 September 2015 at theWayback Machine AFP 19 October 2007: "Paris, Orléans and Montpellier receive the 'Bicycle Trophy 2007' for their achievement in Bike Sharing programs".
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