Poitiers is a city on the Clain river in west-central France.
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18 Facts About Poitiers
2.
City of Poitiers is strategically situated on the Seuil du Poitou, a shallow gap between the Armorican and the Central Massif.
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3.
Inhabitants of Poitiers are referred to as Poitevins or Poitevines, although this denomination can be used for anyone from the Poitou province.
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4.
Climate in the Poitiers area is mild with mild temperature amplitudes, and adequate rainfall throughout the year although with a drying tendency during summer.
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5.
Poitiers was founded by the Celtic tribe of the Pictones and was known as the oppidum Lemonum before Roman influence.
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6.
In fact until 1857 Poitiers hosted the ruins of a vast Roman amphitheatre, which was larger than that of Nimes.
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7.
Fifty years later Poitiers fell into the hands of the Arian Visigoths, and became one of the principal residences of their kings.
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8.
At the height of their power, the Counts of Poitiers governed a large domain, including both Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Poitou.
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9.
In 1569 Poitiers was defended by Gui de Daillon, comte du Lude, against Gaspard de Coligny, who after an unsuccessful bombardment and seven weeks, retired from a siege he had laid to the town.
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10.
Poitiers compared it to the Roman state, which combined three types of government: monarchy, aristocracy, and democracy.
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11.
Poitiers had Alienor d'Aquitaine's ancient wall razed and modern boulevards were built in its place.
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12.
Poitiers became a garrison town, despite its distance from France's borders.
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13.
Poitiers was bombed during World War II, particularly the area around the railway station which was heavily hit on 13 June 1944.
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15.
City of Poitiers has a very old tradition as a university centre, starting in the Middle Ages.
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16.
The University of Poitiers was established in 1431 and has welcomed many famous philosophers and scientists throughout the ages.
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17.
Today Poitiers has more students per inhabitant than any other large town or city in France.
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18.
Since 2001, the city of Poitiers has hosted the first cycle of "the South America, Spain and Portugal" program from the Paris Institute of Political Studies, known as Sciences Po.
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