BOURGES, boorzh, France, capital of the department of Cher, 12i miles south of Paris, on the canal of Berry and the Central Railroad, in an extensive plain at the confluence of the Auron and the Nrevrette. When the Romans invaded Gaul it was known as Avaricum, the capital of Biturigescubi. It was taken by Caesar, 52 B.e., and almost all its inhabitants slaugh tered. Under the name of Bituriges, it was for 475 years the metropolis of Aquitania. During the Middle Ages many councils were held here. The French clergy assembled here in 1438 to receive the famous charter known as the Prag matic Sanction, by which the liberties of the Gallican Church were secured. Jacques Ceeur and Louis XI were both born here. The for mer established here in 1463 a university, where Cujas taught during the 16th century. It was abolished in the Revolution. Bourdalone, the famous preacher, was born here in 1632. Don Carlos resided here from 1839 to 1845, when he signed the abdication in favor of his son. The trial of Louis Blanc, Albert and others took place before the Supreme Court at Bourges, 7 March to 2 April 1849. The city is partly sur
rounded by a thick wall, flanked with lofty towers; its streets are irregularly laid out, while the houses are generally mean-looking, with their gables to the street. Among the old build ings which it contains are the mpgnificent cathedral, larger than Notre Dame de Paris and one of the finest Gothic monuments oi Europe; the city hall, built at great cost by Jacques Coeur as a dwelling-house and now oc cupied as the Palais de Justice; and the palace of the archbishop. The establishments of pub lic instruction, including the imperial college, the theological seminary and the normal school, are wellpatronized. Bourges has manufac tories of fine and coarse cloths, iron foundries and tan-yards. Government gun and powder works add much to its prosperity. It has a large trade in wine, grain, cloth, cattle, hemp and millstones. Consult Archelet, 'Au pays de Jacques Ceur: Bourges' (1909). Pop. about 45,000.