Poitiers

Poitiers is a city in western France and the capital of the Vienne department. Its Roman, medieval, and religious heritage reflects its long importance in Aquitaine.

Baptistry of Saint John, Poitiers: An early Christian baptistry in Poitiers, among the oldest surviving Christian buildings in France. Its early origins make it a landmark of Poitiers’s late Roman and Christian past.
Lemonum: The Roman name for the settlement that developed into Poitiers. Roman Lemonum established the urban foundation of the present city.
Vienne: A department in western France, named after the Vienne River and administered from Poitiers. Poitiers is the department’s prefecture and largest urban center.
Battle of Tours: A battle fought near Tours in 732 between Frankish forces led by Charles Martel and an Umayyad army. Often called the Battle of Poitiers, it is distinct from the 1356 battle fought near the city.
Church of Notre-Dame la Grande, Poitiers: A Romanesque church in Poitiers known for its sculpted western facade. Its richly carved facade is one of the city’s defining medieval monuments.
Roman Gaul: The provinces and territories of Gaul governed by Rome from the first century BCE to late antiquity. Poitiers developed within Roman Gaul as a regional urban center.
Nouvelle-Aquitaine: An administrative region in southwestern France created by the 2016 regional reorganization. Poitiers is one of the region’s principal cities.
Battle of Poitiers (1356): A 1356 battle in the Hundred Years’ War in which English forces captured the French king John II. This battle took place near Poitiers and gave the city international historical prominence.
Poitiers Cathedral: A Gothic cathedral in Poitiers, dedicated to Saint Peter and Saint Paul. The cathedral marks the city’s long-standing role as a religious center.
Duchy of Aquitaine: A medieval principality in southwestern France whose rulers held extensive lands and political influence. Poitiers became a major political center within the duchy.

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