Tarascon Castle from front.

Tarascon, sometimes referred to as Tarascon-sur-Rhône, is a town in the Bouches-du-Rhône département, in the south of France. Population: 15,000 inhabitants. Download high resolution version (614x819, 106 KB) This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Download high resolution version (614x819, 106 KB) This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Bouches-du-Rhône is a département in the south of France named after the mouth of the Rhône River. ... The départements (or departments) are administrative units of France, roughly analogous to British counties. ...

Geography

Tarascon is located 23 km south of Avignon and 20 km north of Arles, on the left bank of the River Rhône. On the other side is the small town of Beaucaire in the Gard département of Languedoc-Roussillon; Directly opposite each other and connected by several bridges, Beaucaire and Tarascon effectively constitute one town. Coat of arms of Avignon Avignon (pronounced in IPA, Provençal: Avignoun) is a commune in southern France with some 88,300 inhabitants in the city itself and 155,500 in the Greater Avignon area. ... Map of western Mediterranean, showing location of Arles Arles (Arle in Provençal) is a city in the south of France, in the Bouches-du-Rhône département, of which it is a sous-préfecture, in the former province of Provence. ... Length 800 km Elevation of the source 1753 m Average discharge 1800 m³/s Area watershed 100,200 km² Origin  Rhône glacier Mouth  Mediterranean Sea Basin countries Switzerland, France The River Rhône (French Rhône, Occitan Ròse, Franco-Provençal Roun, standard German Rhone, Valais German Rotten... View down into Beaucaire and the marina from the bridge leading to Tarascon. ... Capital Montpellier Area 27,376 km² Regional President Georges Frêche (PS) (since 2004) Population   - 2004 estimate   - 1999 census   - Density (Ranked 10th) 2,458,000 2,295,648 90/km² (2004) Arrondissements 14 Cantons 186 Communes 1,545 Départements Aude Gard Hérault Lozère Pyrénées-Orientales...

Culture

Model of the Tarasque

Mythological monster: the Tarasque is said to have lived there at the beginning of the 1st century, and was tamed by Martha in 48 AD. See Tarasque for the whole story and more pictures. Download high resolution version (839x483, 76 KB) This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Download high resolution version (839x483, 76 KB) This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Viewed from the front. ... Saint George versus the Dragon, by Gustave Moreau (1880) Monster (lat. ... Viewed from the front. ... (1st century BC - 1st century - 2nd century - other centuries) The 1st century was that century which lasted from 1 to 100. ... Martha (Judæo-Aramaic מַרְתָּא Martâ The lady, French Sainte Marthe) is a biblical figure of whom no historical facts outside of it are known. ... Viewed from the front. ...

Books: Tartarin de Tarascon (1872) and its two sequels Tartarin sur les Alpes (1885) and Port-Tarascon (1890), by Alphonse Daudet. Tartarin de Tarascon is a 1872 novel, by the French author Alphonse Daudet. ... 1872 was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1885 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... 1890 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Alphonse Daudet (May 13, 1840 - December 17, 1897) was a French novelist. ...

Since 1985, there has been a small museum in the town, dedicated to the fictional character Tartarin.

A festival is held every year on the last Sunday of June to remember Tartarin and the Tarasque.

Tarascon and St. Martha's Church from top of Castle.

Image File history File links Tarascon from top of Castle. ... Image File history File links Tarascon from top of Castle. ...

Highlights

• Historical town centre, including the rue des Halles and its arcades
• Hôtel de Ville (Town Hall) (1648)
• Cloître des Cordeliers, 16^th century cloister
• Three city gates remain from the former city wall: Portail St. Jean, Porte de la Condamine and Porte Jarnègues.
• Other highlights below:

City Hall is a 1996 film directed by Harold Becker. ... Cloister of Saint Trophimus, in Arles, France A cloister (from latin claustrum) is part of cathedrals and abbeys architecture. ... Categories: Stub ... The defensive wall of Braşov, Romania. ...

The Collegiate Church

Église collégiale Ste Marthe (St Martha's Collegiate Church) is where, according to a local tradition, the biblical figure Martha is buried. The church was built half-romanesque in the 12th century and half-gothic in the 14th century. The crypt dates from the 3rd century. Martha (Judæo-Aramaic מַרְתָּא Martâ The lady, French Sainte Marthe) is a biblical figure of whom no historical facts outside of it are known. ... Parts of this article contradict each other. ... Martha (Judæo-Aramaic מַרְתָּא Martâ The lady, French Sainte Marthe) is a biblical figure of whom no historical facts outside of it are known. ... Romanesque St. ... Notre-Dame Cathedral seen from the River Seine. ... Crypt is also a commonly used name of water trumpets, aquatic plants. ...

The mediaeval castle

Tarascon Castle on the river

The construction of the current castle of Tarascon was started in 1401 by Louis II of Anjou, after the previous castle was destroyed. The construction was continued by his first son, Louis III of Anjou, and was completed in 1449 by his second son, René I of Naples. Thus, the castle is often referred to as le château du roi René ("King René's castle"). Image File history File links Download high resolution version (830x622, 56 KB) // Location & Date Pont de Beaucaire, June 2004. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (830x622, 56 KB) // Location & Date Pont de Beaucaire, June 2004. ... Events The Lollards, a religious sect taught by John Wycliffe, were persecuted for their beliefs. ... The Angevin French prince, Louis II of Anjou (1377 - 1417) was the rival of Ladislas as king of Naples. ... Louis III (1403 - 12 November 1434) was Titular King of Naples, Count of Provence and Duke of Anjou. ... Events January 6 - Constantine XI is crowned Byzantine Emperor. ... René dAnjou, René I of Naples (René I the Good, French Le bon roi René) (January 16, 1409–July 10, 1480), was Duke of Anjou, Count of Provence (1434–1480), Count of Piedmont, Duke of Bar (1430–1480), Duke of Lorraine (1431–1453), King of Naples (1438–1442; titular...

It was turned into a military prison in the 17th century, until its acquisition by the state in 1932.

It stands right on the banks of the Rhône opposite Beaucaire Castle, and near the Collegiate Church of St Martha.

External links

• Official city website
• Unofficial city website
• History and pictures of the castle (in French)