POITIERS, pwit'tyM. The capital of the De partment of Vienne, and formerly of the Province of Poitou. in Western France. It is situated on a plateau-like peninsula formed by the junction of the Clain and the Doivre rivers, and on the Orleans Railroad. 55 miles southwest of Tours (Map: France, (I 5). It is an old town with narrow, crooked, and ill-paved streets. Although it is a railroad junction, it c111111111-ree and in dustries are not very important. It is chiefly interesting on account of its ancient and mediae val remains and associations. it is preeminently a city of churches and ecclesiastical institutions. The cathedral is a Gothic-Romanesque structure of the twelfth century. with an imposing inte rior, but a rather heavy farads. There are sev eral very old and interesting churches, such as the Temple Saint Jean. a baptistery built in the seventh century. and one of the oldest Christian nionnumpts ill France: the Church of Notre Dame la Braude, a Romanesque building of the eleventh century, With MI elaborately decorated facade: and the Church of Sainte Radegonde, founded in the sixth century. rebuilt in the eleventh century, and containing the sarcophagus of the .saint. Among the noteworthy buildings and places are the tine modern Hotel-de-Ville and the Pare de Blossite; the latter. situated at the southern end of the town, is bordered by inediieval ramparts and commands a fine view. At the northern end, near Pont Joubert, is a colossal gilded statue of Notre Dame des Dunes. Poitiers has a university with faculties of law, science, and philosophy, and a preparatory school of medicine and phar macy. The municipal library contains 65,000
volumes and 460 manuscripts. There are mu seums of art, archicology, and natural history. Population, in 1 800,3S,518 : in 1J01, 39,Sti0.
Poitiers was the capital of the Pictones or Pictavi, whence its modern name. The Romans called it U1110011111. There are still a number of Gallic and Roman remains in the town and vi cinity. Christianity was introduced in the third ventury and about 353 Saint Hilary became the first 'Bishop of Poitiers. In the fifth century the town fell into the hands of the Visigoths, whose King, Alaric 11., was defeated by Clovis in battle near Poitiers in 507. In 732 Charles Martel ehecked the advance of the Saracens in the world famous battle fought in the neighborhood. Near Poitiers, during the 'Hundred Years' War, the English. tinder Edward the Black Prince, gained a notable victory over the French under their K.ing. John II., the (loud, September 19, 1350. The French, whose forces outnumbered the Eng lish more than five to one, opened the battle with a furious charge. but were thrown back by a volley from the English arehers, and totally routed by the onset of the English inen-of-arms. The slaughter Of French knights was large. King John was taken prisoner. See Perrot'. Consult Histoire man wain' de la ville (le Poitiers ( Fontenay-le-Comte. 1892).