La Martyre
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
La Martyre (Ar Merzer in Breton) is a commune of Finistère, Bretagne, France.
| Commune of La Martyre | |
| Location | |
| Longitude | -4.17° |
| Latitude | 48.45° |
| Administration | |
|---|---|
| Country | France |
| Région | Bretagne |
| Département | Finistère |
| Arrondissement | Brest |
| Canton | Ploudiry |
| Intercommunality | |
| Mayor | Pierre Quelennec (2001-2008) |
| Statistics | |
| Altitude | 49m–191 m (avg. m) |
| Land area¹ | 18,01 km² |
| Population² (1999) |
596 |
| - Density () | env. 33/km² |
| Miscellaneous | |
| INSEE/Postal code | 29144/ 29800 |
| ¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq. mi. or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
| ² Population sans doubles comptes: single count of residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel). | |
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Contents |
[edit] Monuments
The village of La Martyre has one of the oldest parish palisades (Enclos paroissial), whose construction was undertaken between the 11th and 17th centuries.
[edit] Events
The village owsed it's Breton and French name to an event on June 25, 874, the assassination of king Salmon III of Brittany who had found refuge in the church. The church was called "la Martyre" (Ar Merzher, The martyr) after being desecrated. The name was taken up by the village. As for the king, he was canonised in 910 for his martyrdom and his virtues.
In the Middle Ages, a presigious tulle fair took place in La Martyre. In the 15th and 16th centuries this fair saw the most activity. Legend has it that the father of William Shakespeare used to frequent these fairs, which no longer exists nowadays.
[edit] External link
[edit] Reference
This text was translated from the French Wikipedia, accessed on June 23 2006.
