Firminy

Firminy
Firminy
Location within Rhône-Alpes region  Firminy
Administration
Country	France
Region	Rhône-Alpes
Department	Loire
Arrondissement	Saint-Étienne
Canton	Firminy
Intercommunality	Saint-Étienne Métropole
Mayor	Marc Petit (2008–2014)
Statistics
Elevation	446–800 m (1,463–2,600 ft) (avg. 468 m or 1,535 ft)
Land area1	10.45 km2 (4.03 sq mi)
Population2	19,297  (1999)
- Density	1,847 /km2 (4,780 /sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	42095/ 42700
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Firminy (Firminiaco: "place of Firmin") is a commune in the Loire department in central France.

It lies on the Ondaine River 8 mi. S.W. of Saint-Étienne by rail.

History

The name was first recorded in a 971 charter by the King of Burgundy.

Sights

Two historic churches from the 12th and 16th centuries are located here. The architect Le Corbusier designed a group of modern buildings, called "Firminy Vert", which includes a church Saint-Pierre, Firminy, cultural center, and an Unité d'Habitation.

Economy

It has important coalmines known since the 14th century and extensive manufactures of iron, steel, and aluminum goods, including railway material, machinery and cannon. Fancy woolen hosiery is also manufactured.

See also

• Communes of the Loire department

References

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 

External links

• Official website (French)