The abbey of Saint-Gilles was founded during the seventh century traditionally by the hermitSaint Giles (LatinÆgidius), whose relics the abbey possessed. The commune formed around the nucleus of the abbey, which was the first stopping point for pilgrims bound for Santiago de Compostela in Spain, who were following the via Tolosana that led from Arles to Toulouse and crossed the Pyrenees to join other routes at Puente La Reina, thence to Santiago along the Via Compostelana. The former abbey church was listed in 1998 among the UNESCOWorld Heritage Sites, as part of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France. The abbey church's west portal is among the most beautiful of the great Romanesque portals and a definitive example of the Provençal Romanesque. The church has three naves and a famed spiral staircase of cantilevered stone steps (in the now destroyed part of the church). During the French Wars of Religion the Protestants fortified themselves within the abbey, which was severely damaged.
The shrine of Saint Gilles, located in the crypt of the church, is the subject of pilgrimage in particular by women wishing to become pregnant or dealing with infertility.
Saint-Gilles was the birthplace of Guy Foulques, Pope Clement IV (died 1268), whose natal house is now a museum of the archaeology, ethnology and ornithology of the Camargue.
Saint-Gilles is more recently the birthplace of the author Georges-Jean Arnaud (born 1928).
Geographyedit
Saint-Gilles is located at the northern edge of the Petite Camargue, between Arles (15 km) and Nîmes (16 km). With a land area of 153.73 km² (59.355 sq mi), it is rather large by continental French standards, although many of the communes in this part of France are among the largest in area in Metropolitan France.
Populationedit
Historical population
Year
Pop.
±% p.a.
1793
5,000
—
1800
5,047
+0.13%
1806
5,212
+0.54%
1821
5,600
+0.48%
1831
5,561
−0.07%
1836
5,797
+0.83%
1841
5,635
−0.57%
1846
5,832
+0.69%
1851
5,985
+0.52%
1856
6,132
+0.49%
1861
6,365
+0.75%
1866
6,804
+1.34%
1872
6,211
−1.51%
1876
6,302
+0.36%
1881
5,268
−3.52%
1886
5,503
+0.88%
1891
5,947
+1.56%
1896
6,110
+0.54%
Year
Pop.
±% p.a.
1901
6,381
+0.87%
1906
6,300
−0.26%
1911
6,258
−0.13%
1921
5,924
−0.55%
1926
5,613
−1.07%
1931
5,833
+0.77%
1936
5,325
−1.81%
1946
5,335
+0.02%
1954
5,789
+1.03%
1962
6,721
+1.88%
1968
8,742
+4.48%
1975
8,679
−0.10%
1982
9,887
+1.88%
1990
11,304
+1.69%
1999
11,626
+0.31%
2007
13,211
+1.61%
2012
13,646
+0.65%
2017
13,607
−0.06%
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki wiki.
Whitney S. Stoddard, 1973. The Façade of Saint-Gilles-du-Gard: Its Influence on French Sculpture (Wesleyan University Press,)
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Saint-Gilles (Gard).
Official website (in French)
Official town hall website (in French) the other
Pictures of the abbey church
More pictures of the abbey church
A tinted plaster caste at the Carnegie Museum, Pittsburgh.
virtual Tours #1:St. Gilles-du-Gard
Regordane Info - The independent portal for The Regordane Way or St Gilles Trail The Regordane finishes in Saint-Gilles. (in English and French)
December 14, 2023
saint, gilles, gard, saint, gilles, french, pronunciation, ʒil, provençal, sant, geli, english, giles, saint, gilles, gard, commune, gard, department, southern, france, saint, gillescommunewest, portal, abbey, churchcoat, armslocation, saint, gillessaint, gill. Saint Gilles French pronunciation sɛ ʒil Provencal Sant Geli English St Giles or Saint Gilles du Gard is a commune in the Gard department in southern France Saint GillesCommuneWest portal of the abbey churchCoat of armsLocation of Saint GillesSaint GillesShow map of FranceSaint GillesShow map of OccitanieCoordinates 43 40 43 N 4 25 54 E 43 6786 N 4 4317 E 43 6786 4 4317CountryFranceRegionOccitaniaDepartmentGardArrondissementNimesCantonSaint GillesIntercommunalityCA Nimes MetropoleGovernment Mayor 2020 2026 Eddy Valadier 1 Area1153 73 km2 59 36 sq mi Population Jan 2020 2 14 197 Density92 km2 240 sq mi Time zoneUTC 01 00 CET Summer DST UTC 02 00 CEST INSEE Postal code30258 30800Elevation0 116 m 0 381 ft avg 7 m or 23 ft 1 French Land Register data which excludes lakes ponds glaciers gt 1 km2 0 386 sq mi or 247 acres and river estuaries It is the second most populous commune in the Nimes metropolitan area Contents 1 History 2 Geography 3 Population 4 Transportation 5 Notable people 6 See also 7 References 8 Further reading 9 External linksHistory editThe abbey of Saint Gilles was founded during the seventh century traditionally by the hermit Saint Giles Latin AEgidius whose relics the abbey possessed The commune formed around the nucleus of the abbey which was the first stopping point for pilgrims bound for Santiago de Compostela in Spain who were following the via Tolosana that led from Arles to Toulouse and crossed the Pyrenees to join other routes at Puente La Reina thence to Santiago along the Via Compostelana The former abbey church was listed in 1998 among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites as part of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France The abbey church s west portal is among the most beautiful of the great Romanesque portals and a definitive example of the Provencal Romanesque The church has three naves and a famed spiral staircase of cantilevered stone steps in the now destroyed part of the church During the French Wars of Religion the Protestants fortified themselves within the abbey which was severely damaged The shrine of Saint Gilles located in the crypt of the church is the subject of pilgrimage in particular by women wishing to become pregnant or dealing with infertility Saint Gilles was the birthplace of Guy Foulques Pope Clement IV died 1268 whose natal house is now a museum of the archaeology ethnology and ornithology of the Camargue Saint Gilles is more recently the birthplace of the author Georges Jean Arnaud born 1928 Geography editSaint Gilles is located at the northern edge of the Petite Camargue between Arles 15 km and Nimes 16 km With a land area of 153 73 km 59 355 sq mi it is rather large by continental French standards although many of the communes in this part of France are among the largest in area in Metropolitan France Population editHistorical populationYearPop p a 17935 000 18005 047 0 13 18065 212 0 54 18215 600 0 48 18315 561 0 07 18365 797 0 83 18415 635 0 57 18465 832 0 69 18515 985 0 52 18566 132 0 49 18616 365 0 75 18666 804 1 34 18726 211 1 51 18766 302 0 36 18815 268 3 52 18865 503 0 88 18915 947 1 56 18966 110 0 54 YearPop p a 19016 381 0 87 19066 300 0 26 19116 258 0 13 19215 924 0 55 19265 613 1 07 19315 833 0 77 19365 325 1 81 19465 335 0 02 19545 789 1 03 19626 721 1 88 19688 742 4 48 19758 679 0 10 19829 887 1 88 199011 304 1 69 199911 626 0 31 200713 211 1 61 201213 646 0 65 201713 607 0 06 Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki wiki Source EHESS 3 and INSEE 1968 2017 4 Transportation editThe Nimes Ales Camargue Cevennes Airport sometimes called Garons Airport is located on the territory of the commune Notable people editAbba Mari ben Isaac of St GillesSee also editCommunes of the Gard department Costieres de Nimes AOCReferences edit Repertoire national des elus les maires in French data gouv fr Plateforme ouverte des donnees publiques francaises 13 September 2022 Populations legales 2020 The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies 29 December 2022 Des villages de Cassini aux communes d aujourd hui Commune data sheet Saint Gilles EHESS in French Population en historique depuis 1968 INSEEFurther reading editWhitney S Stoddard 1973 The Facade of Saint Gilles du Gard Its Influence on French Sculpture Wesleyan University Press External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Saint Gilles Gard Official website in French Official town hall website in French the other Pictures of the abbey church More pictures of the abbey church The West Portal of the Abbey of Saint Gilles A tinted plaster caste at the Carnegie Museum Pittsburgh virtual Tours 1 St Gilles du Gard Regordane Info The independent portal for The Regordane Way or St Gilles Trail The Regordane finishes in Saint Gilles in English and French Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Saint Gilles Gard amp oldid 1168393888, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
