Saint-Marcellin-en-Forez (, literally ''Saint-Marcellin in
Forez
Forez (; ) is a Provinces of France, former province of France, corresponding approximately to the central part of the modern Loire (department), Loire ''département in France, département'' and a part of the Haute-Loire and Puy-de-Dôme ''dépa ...
''; ) is a
commune in the
Loire
The Loire ( , , ; ; ; ; ) is the longest river in France and the 171st longest in the world. With a length of , it drains , more than a fifth of France's land, while its average discharge is only half that of the Rhône.
It rises in the so ...
department in central
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
.
History
Saint-Marcellin-en-Forez is at an ancient crossroads between
Burgundy
Burgundy ( ; ; Burgundian: ''Bregogne'') is a historical territory and former administrative region and province of east-central France. The province was once home to the Dukes of Burgundy from the early 11th until the late 15th century. ...
and
Velay
Velay () is a historical area of France situated in the east Haute-Loire ''Département in France, département'' and southeast of Massif central, Massif Central.
History
Julius Caesar mentioned the vellavi as the subordinate of the arverni. ...
, on the highway from the
Forez
Forez (; ) is a Provinces of France, former province of France, corresponding approximately to the central part of the modern Loire (department), Loire ''département in France, département'' and a part of the Haute-Loire and Puy-de-Dôme ''dépa ...
and
Montbrison toward the only bridge known in the south of the
Loire
The Loire ( , , ; ; ; ; ) is the longest river in France and the 171st longest in the world. With a length of , it drains , more than a fifth of France's land, while its average discharge is only half that of the Rhône.
It rises in the so ...
, which was at
Saint-Rambert.
The origins of the city date back to the early Middle Ages. The earliest written reference to the town dates from 984, but a treasure of about 500 4th-century coins (discovered in 1884) indicates an even earlier settlement.
The parish church is mentioned in 1225 and the town's fortifications in 1286. The town is surrounded by a double ring of ramparts of the thirteenth century and the fifteenth century, which gives it a solid appearance. The fortifications are pictured in
Guillaume Revel's armorial (1450).
The old town, topped by a high tower, was a defensive structure that withstood repeated assaults. St Marcellin was the stronghold of the Counts of Forez, who had their castle within its walls. It then passed to the Dukes of Bourbon, then was annexed to the kingdom of France without ever having been conquered.
Historique de la commune
Saint-Marcellin-en-Forez town website.
Populations
Twin towns
Saint-Marcellin-en-Forez is twinned with:
* Marta, Lazio
Marta is a (municipality) in the Province of Viterbo in the Italian region of Latium, located about northwest of Rome and about northwest of Viterbo.
Marta borders the following municipalities: Capodimonte, Montefiascone, Tuscania, Viterbo.
...
, Italy
See also
*Communes of the Loire department
The following is a list of the 320 communes of the Loire department of France.
The communes cooperate in the following intercommunalities (as of 2025):
References
Communes of Loire (department)
{{Loire-geo-stub