Mont-de-Marsan history

Foundation and First Mentions

Mont-de-Marsan was founded in 1133 by Viscount Pierre de Marsan. The city emerged as a "castelnau" — a fortified settlement that grew around a new castle. The Viscount chose this location to build his residence in order to consolidate power over the region and create a reliable defensive point.

Key Factors of Formation

The development of the city was determined by a successful combination of geographical and political conditions:

• Strategic Geography: The city is located at the confluence of two rivers — the Midou and the Douze, which join in the city centre to form the Midouze River. This turned Mont-de-Marsan into a natural transport hub.
• Political Power: Becoming the capital of the Viscounty of Marsan, the city received administrative privileges and judicial powers, which contributed to an influx of population.

Early Cultural and Economic Features

In the Middle Ages, the economy of Mont-de-Marsan flourished thanks to its river port. The Midouze River was a navigable artery connecting the inland lands of Gascony with the port of Bayonne on the Atlantic coast. Cargoes of grain, local beverages, and honey passed through the city, which contributed to the formation of a wealthy merchant class and the development of urban architecture.

City Development Chronology

The history of Mont-de-Marsan is rich in events that transformed it from a small fortress into the administrative centre of the Landes department.

• 1133 — Viscount Pierre de Marsan founds the city at the confluence of the Douze and Midou rivers, erecting a fortified castle here.
• 1154 — The city comes under English rule as part of Aquitaine following the coronation of Henry II Plantagenet.
• Second half of the 12th century — Construction of the first stone city walls to protect the growing trading settlement.
• 1479 — Mont-de-Marsan finally returns to the Kingdom of France.
• 1589 — With the accession to the throne of Henry IV, who was also the Duke of Albret, the city is firmly secured for the French crown.
• 1790 — During the administrative reform of the French Revolution, Mont-de-Marsan becomes the prefecture (capital) of the newly created Landes department.
• 1793 — During the revolutionary period, the city temporarily bears the name Mont-Marat.
• 1808 — Emperor Napoleon I visits the city and signs a decree on the improvement and development of forestry in the region.
• 1811 — Completion of the bridge over the Midouze River, improving transport accessibility.
• 1857 — The railway arrives in the city, giving a powerful boost to the economy, but gradually reducing the importance of the river port.
• 1860s — An active urban planning phase: the erection of majestic prefecture buildings, the court, and the theatre.
• 1944 — On August 21, the city is liberated from occupation by the forces of the French Resistance and the Allies.
• 1945 — Official creation of Air Base 118 (BA 118), which became an important part of the city's life.
• 1968 — Opening of the Despiau-Wlérick Museum, securing Mont-de-Marsan's status as a centre of French figurative sculpture.

Key Stages of Transformation

The development of Mont-de-Marsan was not linear; the city survived several radical changes, each of which left its mark on architecture and the way of life. Five main milestones can be distinguished that formed its modern appearance:

• Rise of the River Port (12th–18th centuries):
  Before the advent of railways, it was the port of Mont-de-Marsan that was the main economic engine. The confluence of the Midou and Douze rivers allowed goods (especially local produce and grain) to be transported to the ocean. Significance: the formation of a wealthy merchant class and the construction of fortified warehouses, some of which have survived to this day.
• Prefecture Status (1790):
  The choice of Mont-de-Marsan as the capital of the Landes department was a turning point. This decision secured the city's administrative supremacy over Dax, which was larger at the time. Significance: the beginning of large-scale construction of administrative buildings in the neoclassical style, defining the strict and majestic look of the centre.
• Urban Planning Revolution of the 19th Century:
  During this period, especially after the visit of Napoleon I and later under Napoleon III, the city was radically rebuilt. Old fortress walls were demolished, boulevards were laid out, and stone bridges were built. Significance: the transformation of a medieval fortress into an open city with developed infrastructure, modern for that era.
• Arrival of the Railway (1857):
  Connection to the national railway network coincided with the decline of river navigation. Significance: a change in the economic paradigm — the city ceased to depend on the whims of the river and began to develop logging and industry related to the riches of the Landes forest.
• Foundation of Air Base BA 118 (1945):
  The creation of one of the most important air bases in France became a powerful driver of development in the second half of the 20th century. Significance: a sharp influx of population, the development of residential quarters and the service sector, turning the city into an important centre of the defence sphere.
• Cultural Self-Determination (from 1968):
  The opening of the museum in the Lacataye Keep and the focus on figurative art allowed the city to find its unique niche. Significance: the formation of the "Capital of Sculpture" brand, which attracts tourists and art historians, diversifying the city's economy.

Architectural Evolution: From Fortress to Administrative Centre

The appearance of Mont-de-Marsan is a visual chronicle of its transformation from a closed military outpost into the open capital of the department. The architectural landscape of the city is clearly divided into two dominant periods: the severe Middle Ages and the solemn classicism of the 19th century.

The Middle Ages: Defensive Architecture (12th–15th centuries)

The oldest buildings in the city date back to the era when Mont-de-Marsan was a strategic hub of Gascony. This period is characterized by thick walls made of shell stone (pierre coquillière), narrow loopholes, and functionality prevailing over decor.

• Lacataye Keep (Donjon Lacataye): The main symbol of the city. This is not a classic castle, but a complex of two fortified Romanesque houses of the 14th century, later united by a crenellated wall. A vivid example of military civil architecture serving simultaneously as housing and a fortress.
• Old Ramparts: Fragments of the city walls preserved along the rivers remind us of the times when the city was enclosed in a ring of fortifications.
• Romanesque Style: Although many churches were rebuilt, elements of early Romanesque masonry hidden in the later facades of residential houses can be found in the old centre.

19th Century: Neoclassicism and Imperial Style

The status of prefecture, obtained after the French Revolution, radically changed the city. In the 19th century, Mont-de-Marsan was rebuilt to match the role of an administrative centre. At this time, a strict, symmetrical, and majestic style dominates.

• Neoclassicism: The Prefecture building (built in 1810–1818) and the Palace of Justice (Palais de Justice) are executed in a monumental style with columns and pediments emphasizing the power of law and the state.
• Church of the Madeleine (Église de la Madeleine): Built in the 1820s. Its facade with a portico and pediment refers to ancient temples, which is typical for the architecture of the Restoration and Neoclassicism eras, unlike traditional Gothic.
• Rotunda of La Vignotte (Rotonde de la Vignotte): A unique structure of the early 19th century in the Empire style, originally conceived as part of a large educational project.

Urban Development and Modern Features

The development of the urban fabric took place in several stages, changing the logic of movement around the city:

• Demolition of Walls and Creation of Boulevards: In the 18th–19th centuries, the cramped medieval boundaries were destroyed. Wide promenades and squares appeared in place of moats and walls, opening the city to light.
• Bridges and Embankments: The confluence of the Douze and Midou rivers required the construction of reliable stone bridges that linked scattered districts into a single whole.
• Bourgeois Development: Mansions of wealthy citizens and merchants grew along the new boulevards, combining elements of eclecticism and the local traditional style.
• Modern Adaptation: In the 21st century, the emphasis shifted to the revitalization of historical spaces. An example is the transformation of the old Bos-Séjour barracks into a modern residential and business quarter, as well as the reconstruction of the embankments, which returned the citizens to the river.

Historical Figures and Founders

The history of the city is inextricably linked with people who laid its foundation or glorified its name on the battlefields of past centuries.

• Pierre de Marsan
  City Founder, Viscount de Marsan (12th century)
  A key figure in the history of the region. It was he who, in 1133, chose a strategic place at the confluence of the Douze and Midou rivers for the construction of a castle and the foundation of a settlement, which later became the capital of the Landes.
• Pierre Bosquet
  Marshal of France (1810–1861)
  A native of the city, famous for his military career. He played a decisive role in the Crimean War, especially in the battles of Alma and Inkerman. A monument is erected to him in Mont-de-Marsan, recalling his services to the country.

Masters of Art

Mont-de-Marsan bears the unofficial title of "Capital of Sculpture" thanks to its outstanding natives, whose legacy is kept in the local museum.

• Charles Despiau
  Sculptor (1874–1946)
  One of the most significant French sculptors of the 20th century, who worked with Auguste Rodin. Despiau is known for his return to classical forms and calmness in art, as opposed to expressionism. He was born and raised in Mont-de-Marsan.
• Robert Wlérick
  Sculptor (1882–1944)
  A talented master of figurative sculpture, also a native of the city. His works adorn many public spaces in France. Together with Despiau, he gave his name to the city's main art museum — the Despiau-Wlérick Museum.

Modern Celebrities: Politics and Sport

In the 20th and 21st centuries, natives of Mont-de-Marsan achieved significant heights in public service and professional sports.

• Alain Juppé
  Statesman (born 1945)
  A famous French politician who served as Prime Minister of France (1995–1997) and was the long-time mayor of Bordeaux. He was born in Mont-de-Marsan, where he spent his early years.
• Joël Bats
  Footballer, Goalkeeper (born 1957)
  Legendary goalkeeper of the French national team, 1984 European champion. His sports career began at the local club "Stade Montois" before he became a star of PSG and the national team.
• Thomas Castaignède
  Rugby Player (born 1975)
  An outstanding player for the French national rugby team, nicknamed "The Little Prince". He is a graduate of the rugby school of Mont-de-Marsan, a city where rugby is considered the number one sport.