Issoudun
Issoudun | |
|---|---|
Subprefecture and commune | |
 White tower | |
 Coat of arms | |
Location of Issoudun  | |
  Issoudun  Issoudun | |
| Coordinates: 46°57′39″N 1°59′40″E / 46.9608°N 1.9944°E | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Centre-Val de Loire |
| Department | Indre |
| Arrondissement | Issoudun |
| Canton | Issoudun |
| Intercommunality | CC Pays d'Issoudun |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2008–2014) | André Laignel |
Area 1 | 36.60 km2 (14.13 sq mi) |
| Population (2021)[1] | 10,992 |
| • Density | 300/km2 (780/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 36088 /36100 |
| Elevation | 122–161 m (400–528 ft) (avg. 129 m or 423 ft) |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
Issoudun (French pronunciation: [isudœ̃]) is a commune in the Indre department in the Centre-Val de Loire region of France. It is also referred to as Issoundun, which is the ancient name.
Geography
Location
Issoudun is a sub-prefecture, located in the east of the Indre department. It is in the former region of Berry. The surrounding communes are:
- Les Bordes (4 km)
- Saint-Aoustrille (5 km)
- St. Lizaigne (7 km)
- Chouday (7 km)
- Lizeray (8 km)
- Condé (8 km)
- Thizay (8 km)
- Saint-Georges-sur-Arnon (10 km)
- Saint-Ambroix (10 km)
- Saugy (10 km)
- Saint-Aubin (11 km)
- Châteauroux (27 km)
- Châtre (41 km)
- Le Blanc (79 km)
Terrain
The river of Théols passes through Issoudun.
The commune of Issoudun takes up an area of 36.6 km².
Transport
The national road N151 passes through the area.
The nearest airport is the Marcel Dassault Airport, 27 km away.
The Issoudun Station is located at 4 Pierre Favreau boulevard, 36100.
History
Middle Ages
In 1195, Richard I of England defended the city from the advances of Philip II of France. Around this time the beak-shaped keep of the castle was built.
In 1499, Cesare Borgia, son of Pope Alexander VI, married Charlotte d'Albret, and as a dowry, was given, amongst other titles, the Lordship of Issoudun.[2]
World War I
In 1917, the U.S. Air Service established its largest European training centre, the 3rd Aviation Instruction Center, about nine miles northwest of the town. At the time of the Armistice, 11 November 1918, thirteen fields were in operation and well over 10,000 ground personnel, student pilots and instructors were located there. It was at that time the largest air base in the world. A single monument on Department Route 960 remains to mark Issoudun's part in the Great War.
The United States Air Service formally left Issoudun on 28 June 1919, almost eight months after the war ended. The sites of the former airfields have returned to their previous status as agricultural fields.
On 28 June 2009, the people of Issoudun had a commemoration ceremony in honour of the American aviators who had trained, and in many cases, died while training there.
Recent Events
On 14 July 2009, Bastille Day, Issoudun hosted the arrival of the 10th stage of the Tour De France.
Population
 | This table possibly contains original research. (December 2014) |
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1793 | 13,491 | — |
| 1800 | 10,265 | −23.9% |
| 1806 | 10,719 | +4.4% |
| 1821 | 11,077 | +3.3% |
| 1831 | 11,664 | +5.3% |
| 1836 | 11,654 | −0.1% |
| 1841 | 12,234 | +5.0% |
| 1846 | 12,852 | +5.1% |
| 1851 | 13,346 | +3.8% |
| 1856 | 13,320 | −0.2% |
| 1861 | 14,282 | +7.2% |
| 1866 | 14,261 | −0.1% |
| 1872 | 14,230 | −0.2% |
| 1876 | 13,703 | −3.7% |
| 1881 | 14,928 | +8.9% |
| 1886 | 15,231 | +2.0% |
| 1891 | 13,564 | −10.9% |
| 1896 | 14,116 | +4.1% |
| 1901 | 14,222 | +0.8% |
| 1906 | 13,949 | −1.9% |
| 1911 | 13,709 | −1.7% |
| 1921 | 11,893 | −13.2% |
| 1926 | 11,809 | −0.7% |
| 1931 | 11,684 | −1.1% |
| 1936 | 11,511 | −1.5% |
| 1946 | 12,645 | +9.9% |
| 1954 | 12,945 | +2.4% |
| 1962 | 13,900 | +7.4% |
| 1968 | 15,108 | +8.7% |
| 1975 | 15,956 | +5.6% |
| 1982 | 14,696 | −7.9% |
| 1990 | 13,859 | −5.7% |
| 1999 | 13,680 | −1.3% |
| 2009 | 13,230 | −3.3% |
| 2011 | 12,931 | −2.3% |
Landmarks
- RFI at Issoudun
-
Volga ALLISS Module -
Ganges ALLISS Module -
Former RFI Issoudun Relay station feeders and curtain arrays -
Former RFI Issoudun Relay curtain arrays (1990s)
The International broadcasting center of TDF (Télédiffusion de France) is at Issoudun/Ste Aoustrille. Issoudun is currently used by TDF for shortwave transmissions. The site uses 12 rotary ALLISS antennas fed by 12 transmitters of 500 kW each to transmit shortwave broadcasts by Radio France International (RFI), along with other broadcast services.
In popular culture
Issoudun figures prominently in Balzac's novel A Bachelor's Establishment (also known as The Black Sheep) which the Guardian has ranked as the 12th greatest novel of all time.
See also
References
- ^ "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
- ^ Bradford, Sarah (2011). Cesare Borgia (2011 Edition, Original 1976. ed.). United Kingdom: Penguin UK. p. 356. ISBN 978-0297771241.
External links
- Town council website
- Notre-Dame du Sacré-Coeur
- Picture of Issoudun Basilica
- American Aviation during World War I
- ALLISS module installation 1992
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