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Daily Bruin Abroad: Montpellier, France

By Joe Akira

Oct. 31, 2019 2:06 a.m.

Montpellier, located on the south coast of France, is a city famous for its resplendent buildings. In the 12th century, the city became a bustling multicultural trading center because of its close access to the Mediterranean Sea.

(Joe Akira/Daily Bruin)

The central square of Montpellier, Place de la Comédie, is a 19th-century walkway full of outdoor cafes, shops and unending entertainment. The square is known to the locals as l’Oeuf (''the egg'' in English) because of the square’s ovular shape.

(Joe Akira/Daily Bruin)

The Opéra Comédie, established in 1755, towers over the center of the Place de la Comédie. The opera was burnt down twice and rebuilt both times in 1788 and 1888.

(Joe Akira/Daily Bruin)

There are few roads big enough for cars to travel on in Montpellier. Instead, most people walk or take the tram.

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In the courtyard outside the Musée Fabre, there is an homage to Jeanne d’Arc, more commonly known as Joan of Arc, after she helped defeat the English at the Siege of Orléans.

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Founded in 1825 by the famous French painter François-Xavier Fabre, the Musée Fabre boasts a timeless collection, from Flemish and Dutch paintings to ones from the Italian Renaissance.

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One of the biggest rooms in the Musée Fabre is decorated with a marble and glass ceiling. The Musée Fabre was renovated in 2007 and is known as one of the Musée de France, which is designated by the French Ministry of Culture.

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The long, narrow streets of old town Montpellier date back as far as 985 A.D. The town began as a fortified castle for the Guilhem dynasty, and in 1349, King Philip VI of France took control over Montpellier.

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Pictured is the Gallic man. The walls of Montpellier are filled with styles of art that show its deep, historic roots.

(Joe Akira/Daily Bruin)

The Cathedral of Saint Peter, or la Cathédrale Saint-Pierre, was built as part of a monastery in 1364. The cathedral resides in Montpellier’s historical center, Ecusson, and is the largest church in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France.

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The Gothic-style cathedral was rebuilt after being destroyed during the Wars of Religion between Catholics and Protestants in the 16th century. In 1870, during a restoration of the church, local artist Édouard Didron replaced the stained glass windows.

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The flower girl arrives at a wedding taking place at the cathedral. People from Montpellier have been getting married in the Cathedral of Saint Peter for generations.

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The French physician and astrologer Nostradamus is said to have come to the cathedral to pray immediately after he was expelled from the University of Montpellier. Nostradamus went on to become renowned for his prophecies in the book ''Les Prophéties.''

(Joe Akira/Daily Bruin)

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