In 2021, Perpignan had a population of 119,656 in the commune proper, and theagglomeration had a total population of 205,183, making it the last major French city before theSpanish border. Perpignan is sometimes seen as the "entrance" to theIberian Peninsula.
Perpignan was the capital of theformer province andCounty of Roussillon (Rosselló in Catalan) and continental capital of theKingdom of Majorca in the 13th and 14th centuries. It has preserved an extensive old centre with itsbodegas in the historic centre, coloured houses in a series of picturesque streets and alleys stretching between the banks of theTêt and its tributary, the Basse.
The city is also known for its International Festival of Photojournalism, the medieval Trobades festival and its centuries-oldgarnet industry.
Perpignan is crossed by the largest river in Roussillon, theTêt, and by one of its tributaries, the Basse. Floods have occurred, as in 1892 when the rising of the Têt in Perpignan destroyed 39 houses, leaving more than 60 families homeless.[6]
Perpignan has a typical hot-summerMediterranean climate (KöppenCsa), similar to much of the Mediterranean coastline of France. One might expect rain to be rare in the city, but the annual precipitation levels are similar to the national average. However, the city is known for its patchy rains, with weeks or even months of rain falling in a matter of hours, followed by several weeks without a drop of water. Perpignan experiences very hot summers and fairly mild winters. Temperatures can reach 40 °C (104 °F), while there has been little snow for decades. Most precipitation occurs in the cold season, with summers being extremely dry. A fresh north-westerly wind often blows, the Tramontana (French: Tramontane, pronounced [tʁamɔ̃tan]), keeping the sky clear much of the time and resulting in high annual sunshine. But the presence of this wind makes winters colder than would be expected from the geographical position of the city.
Climate data for Perpignan (1991–2020 normals), extremes since 1924
Perpignan is served by theGare de Perpignan railway station, which offers connections toParis, Barcelona,Toulouse, and several regional destinations.Salvador Dalí proclaimed the station to be the "Cosmic Centre of the Universe" after experiencing a vision there in 1963.[9]
The name of Perpignan appears in 927 asPerpinianum, followed in 959 byVilla Perpiniano,Pirpinianum in the 11th century, andPerpiniani in 1176.Perpenyà, which appears in the 13th century, was the most common form until the 15th century, and was still used in the 17th century. It probably derives from the Roman namePerpennius.
Though settlement in the area goes back toRoman times, the medieval town of Perpignan seems to have been founded around the beginning of the 10th century. Shortly afterwards, Perpignan became the capital of the counts ofRoussillon. Historically, it was part of the region known asSeptimania. In 1172 CountGirard II bequeathed his lands to theCounts of Barcelona. Perpignan acquired the institutions of a partly self-governingcommune in 1197. Frenchfeudal rights over Roussillon were given up byLouis IX in theTreaty of Corbeil.
WhenJames I the Conqueror, king ofAragon and count ofBarcelona, founded theKingdom of Majorca in 1276, Perpignan became the capital of the mainland territories of the new state. The subsequent decades are considered the city's historical golden age. It prospered as a centre of cloth manufacture, leatherwork, goldsmithery, and other luxury crafts. KingPhilippe III ofFrance died there in 1285, as he was returning from his unsuccessfulcrusade against theAragonese Crown.
In June 2020,Louis Aliot of theNational Rally was elected mayor of Perpignan. This was the first time since 1995 that the far-right party had won a city of more than 100,000 people.[11][12]
More than 10,000 students between the ages of 2 and 12 attend 61 preschools and primary schools in the city.[17] Perpignan also has 26 high schools.[18]
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.
Each September, Perpignan hosts the internationally renownedVisa pour l'Image festival ofphotojournalism. Free exhibitions are mounted in the Couvent des Minimes, Chapelle des Dominicaines and other buildings in the old town.[21]
Traditional commerce was in wine,olive oil, corks (thecork oakQuercus suber grows in Perpignan's mild climate), wool, leather, and iron. In May 1907 it was a seat of agitation by southern producers for government enforcement of wine quality following a collapse in prices.JOB rolling papers are currently manufactured in Perpignan.
The walls surrounding the town, which had likewise been designed by Vauban, were razed in 1904 to accommodate urban development. The main city gate, theCastillet is a small fortress built in the 14th century, which has been preserved. It was also used as a prison until the end of the 19th century.[24]
TheHôtel Pams is a lavishly-decorated mansion designed forJules Pams that illustrates the artistic tastes of the wealthy bourgeois at the turn of the 20th century.[25]
Les Halles de Vauban are a new addition to the banks of the city's canal. Opened in November 2017, the indoor markets are privately owned and cost €1.5 million. Split into two locations, vendors offer fresh fruit and vegetables, bread, flowers, cheese, and other items. There is a bar and central eating court with a range of tapas, burgers, omelettes and food from around the world.[26]
Place de la République and theatreSadi Carnot and Vauban walkways and the river Bassa
Following a visit in 1963, the Catalansurrealist artistSalvador Dalí declaredthe city's railway station thecentre of the Universe, claiming that he always had his best ideas sitting in its waiting room. Dalí's paintingLa Gare de Perpignan commemorates his vision of "cosmogonic ecstasy" there on 19 September 1963.[27] He followed that up some years later by declaring that the Iberian Peninsula rotated precisely at Perpignan station 132 million years ago – an event the artist invoked in his 1983 paintingTopological Abduction of Europe – Homage toRené Thom.[28] Above the station is a monument in Dali's honour, and across the surface of one of the main platforms is painted, in large letters, «perpignan centre du monde» (French for "perpignan centre of the world").[29]
^Fiche Pédagogique - Hôtel Pams de Perpignan(PDF) (in French), Association Pédagogique de la Plaine, du Vallespir et de la Côte Vermeille,archived(PDF) from the original on 9 October 2022, retrieved31 December 2015
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