CAEN, kin, France, town in the depart ment of Calvados, and the ancient capital of Normandy, 125 miles northwest of Pans, and about nine miles from the mouth of the Orne, which is here navigable and crossed by several bridges. There is a dock connected with the sea by both river and canal. Caen is the centre of an important domestic trade, the market of a rich agricultural district, and carries on exten sive manufactures. The streets are broad, regu lar and clean, the houses well built of white freestone and it possesses various ancient and remarkable edifices. The public promenades and recreation grounds are beautiful, and there ri are various extensive squares and "places)) The church of La Trinite, a fine edifice in the Norman-Romanesque style, restored in modern times, was formerly the church of the Abbaye-• aux-dames, founded in 1066 by Matilda, wife of William the Conqueror. The church of Saint Stephen was founded at the same time by Wil liam the Conqueror as the church of the Abbaye-aux-hommes, and though considerably modified since is a noble and impressive edifice. It has two fine western towers 295 feet high. The Abbaye-aux-hommes, built by the Con queror, who was buried in it, is now used as a college, having been rebuilt in the 18th century. One of the finest churches in Caen is that of Saint Pierre, whose tower (255 feet), termi nated by a spire, is exceedingly elegant. Among other public buildings are the Hotel de Ville, the prefecture and the palace of justice. Caen pos sesses a university faculty or college, a public library with some 100,000 volumes, a gallery of paintings with valuable works of old masters, a natural history museum, an antiquarian mu seum, etc. The hospital of the Abbaye-aux dames is one of the best regulated in France. The hospital of the Bon-Sauveur is another ad mirable institution. The city was formerly for tified, and there are remains of a castle begun by William the Conqueror and finished by Henry I, but since much altered and now used as bar racks. Caen first rose into importance in the
time of William the Conqueror. In 1346 it was taken by Edward III, at which time it was said to be larger than any city in England except London. Henry VI of England founded a uni versity here in 1431, Caen having been in the possession of the English from 1417 to 1450. It suffered much in the religious wars between the Protestants and the Roman Catholics of France. Admiral de Coligny captured it for the Protestants in 1562. Caen carries on ship building, and its manufactures embrace linen, woolen and cotton goods, lace, ropes, metal goods, leather, cutlery and various other articles and has foundries, breweries, dyeworks and sawmills. It is also famed for gloves made from the skins of the Angora rabbits. It car ries on a considerable trade in timber, iron ore, coal, grain and other articles, including agricul tural produce exported to England, to which also is still exported the Caen building stone famous for many centuries. A canal connects the port with the sea. Maherbe, Laplace, Eeie de Beaumont and Auber were born in this city or in its vicinity, and are commemorated by statues. Pop. 46,934.
a oolitic limestone from Caen in Normandy, identical with the Bath oolite of England. It is easily carved and has long been highly esteemed as a building stone. Westminster Abbey, Canter bury Cathedral and other English churches are built of it. It is quarried underground in blocks nine feet long, two feet thick. Its amor phous nature prevents its use on external struc tures in severe climates. Its principal use is for interior work.