Toul 175191 225226273 2008-07-12T15:48:53Z SmackBot 433328 Date the maintenance tags or general fixes {{Primarysources|date=July 2008}} <div style="float: right; width: 310px; margin-left: 1em;"> {{French commune |nomcommune=Toul<br>[[Image:Toul-cathedrale-2005.jpg|300px]]<br><small>[[Toul Cathedral|Cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Toul]]</small>| région=[[Lorraine (région)|Lorraine]]| département=[[Meurthe-et-Moselle]]<br />(''[[sous-préfecture]]'')| arrondissement=Toul| canton=Chief town of 2 cantons| insee=|cp=54200|maire=|mandat=[[2001]]-[[2008]]| intercomm=[[Communauté de communes du Toulois|Communauté de communes<br>du Toulois]] |longitude=5.89166666667 |latitude=48.675 |alt moy=|alt mini=|alt maxi=| hectares=3,059| km²=30.59| sans=16,945|date-sans=1999|dens=|date-dens=1999 }} {{Infobox Former Country |native_name = ''Reichsstadt Tull'' <small>([[German language|de]])</small><br>''Ville libre de Toul <small>([[French language|fr]])</small> |conventional_long_name = Imperial City of Toul |common_name = Toul | |continent = Europe |region = Central Europe |country = France |era = Middle Ages |status = City-state |empire = Holy Roman Empire |government_type = Republic | |year_start = |year_end = 1552 |life_span = ? – 1552 | |event_start = Gained ''[[Reichsfrei]]heit'' |date_start = ''Uncertain'' |event_end = [[Three Bishoprics]]<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[[Italian War of 1551–1559|annexed]] by [[Early Modern France|France]] |date_end = &nbsp;<br>[[1552]] |event_post = [[Treaty of Westphalia]]<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;recognises annexation |date_post = &nbsp;<br>[[1648]] | |p1 = Bishopric of Toul |image_p1 = [[Image:Blason Toul.png|20px|Bishopric of Toul]] |s1 = Early Modern France |flag_s1 = Pavillon royal de France.svg | |capital = Toul | |footnotes = <!--- Accepts wikilinks ---> }} </div> [[Image:Cathédrale de Toul-Façade.JPG|thumb|[[Toul Cathedral|Cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Toul]]]] '''Toul''' is a historic fortified town of [[France]], a ''[[sous-préfecture]]'' of the [[Meurthe-et-Moselle]] ''[[département in France|département]]'', with a population of 17,000. ==Geography== Toul is located between [[Commercy]] and [[Nancy]], and situated between the [[Moselle River]] and the [[Canal de la Marne au Rhin]]. ==History== Toul was known to the [[Ancient Rome|Romans]] as ''Tullum Leucorum'', and was the capital of the [[Gaulish language|Gaulish]] tribe of the [[Leuci]]. In [[612]], King [[Theudebert II]] of [[Austrasia]] was defeated by King [[Theuderic II]] of Burgundy near Toul. By the [[Treaty of Meerssen]] of [[870]], Toul became part of [[East Francia]], the later Holy Roman Empire. During the High Middle Ages, it became a [[Free Imperial City]]. Toul was annexed to France by King [[Henry II of France|Henry II]] in [[1552]]; this was recognized by the Holy Roman Empire in the [[Peace of Westphalia]] of [[1648]]. It then was a part of the French province of the [[Three Bishoprics]]. During the [[siege]] of [[1870]] during the [[Franco-Prussian War]], the last time that Toul's defenses were used as a classical fortress, 64 guns opened fire at 6am on [[September 23]], and the fortress surrendered at 3pm after 2,433 shells had been fired. Toul was the seat of the [[bishop of Toul|bishops of Toul]]; the diocese was founded around [[365]] and existed until [[1807]]. ==Sights== The most striking features are the impressive stone [[defensive wall|rampart]]s. It is not known precisely when they were first built, but there appears to have been a fortified town at this location since the earliest recorded history. Today, the ramparts encircle and define the old town. They are built of dressed white stone, and topped with grass, and in places are over five metres high. There is a great deal of [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] archæology in the area and allegedly some in the town. The Roman [[fortified town]] of [[Grand, Vosges|Grand]] is some 30km away, with its great [[amphitheatre]] and temple to the [[Cult of Apollo]]. The old town's architecture is dominated by past glories in various states of decay, including a major gothic [[Toul cathedral|cathedral]], which is in a poor condition and is being slowly restored. Many of the houses were built as canonical residences in the [[Late Middle Ages]] and bear vestiges in the form of ornamental stonework. There is no trace of the monastery, however its wine-cellars still exist, under the shops on the North side of the Rue Gambetta. (Access is possible via the Camera Shop). ==Transportation== Toul is at the intersection of the [[Moselle River]] (which divides into the river proper and the ''Moselle Canalisée'' just outside the town) with the [[Canal de la Marne Au Rhin]], and was once, consequently, an important port. The barges known as ''péniches'' still navigate these watercourses commercially, typically carrying steel, though in the summer much more of the water traffic is for pleasure. There is a main-line railway station at Toul, the last major station before the (once vast, and still very large) marshalling yards at [[Nancy]]. However, the Paris-Strasbourg [[TGV]] line, now under construction, will pass about 20km north of Toul, approximately mid-way between [[Metz]] and Nancy. Its completion will likely reduce Toul's importance as a station. ==Twin towns== *[[Image:Counts of Mark Arms.svg|12px]] [[Hamm]] (GER)[[Image:Flag of Germany.svg|25px]] , since 1987 ==Famous citizens== * Saint [[Gerard of Toul]], bishop * [[Antoine Augustin Calmet]], monk * [[Marcel Bigeard]], military leader * [[Laurent Gouvion Saint-Cyr]], military leader * [[Louis Majorelle]], furniture designer and manufacturer ==See also== *[[Toul-Rosieres Air Base]] *[[Arrondissement of Toul]] ==External links== * [http://www.mairie-toul.fr Official site] [[Category:Communes of Meurthe-et-Moselle]] [[Category:States of the Holy Roman Empire]] [[Category:Subprefectures in France]] [[ceb:Toul]] [[de:Toul]] [[fr:Toul]] [[it:Toul]] [[nl:Toul]] [[nn:Toul]] [[pl:Toul]] [[pt:Toul]] [[ro:Toul]] [[ru:Туль]] [[simple:Toul]] [[sl:Toul]] [[vi:Toul]] [[vo:Toul]]