Montauban () is a commune in the Tarn-et-Garonne department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in southern France. It is the préfecture (capital) of the department.

The town, built mainly with reddish bricks, is on the right bank of the Tarn river at its confluence with the Tescou. It was one of the first bastides in history.

History

Together with Mont-de-Marsan, Montauban is one of the oldest towns with walls (a bastide) in southern France. It was founded in 1144 by Alphonse Jourdain, Count of Toulouse. Most of the inhabitants came from Montauriol, a village which had grown up around the neighbouring monastery of St Théodard.

In the 13th century the town suffered much during the Albigensian Crusade and from the Inquisition, but by 1317 it had recovered sufficiently to be chosen by the Pope John XXII as the head of a diocese of which the basilica of St Théodard became the cathedral.

In 1360, under the Treaty of Brétigny, the town was given to the English; they were expelled by the inhabitants in 1414. In 1560 the bishops became Protestants; ten years later it became one of the four Huguenot strongholds under the Peace of Saint-Germain, and formed a small independent republic.

In 1790, Montauban was in the Lot department as the capital of a district; with the creation of the arrondissements in 1800, Montauban became a sous-préfecture in the Lot department. When Napoleon created the Tarn-et-Garonne department in 1809, Montauban became the préfecture (capital) of the new department.

Geography
Montauban is at about  to the north of Toulouse, on the confluence of the Tescou and the Tarn rivers, and at  from Agen (préfecture of the Lot-et-Garonne),  from Albi (préfecture of the Tarn) and at about  from Cahors (préfecture of the Lot).

It has an area of  and its average altitude is ; at the city hall, the altitude is .

Montauban is surrounded by the communes Villemade, Piquecos, Lamothe-Capdeville, Albias, Saint-Étienne-de-Tulmont, Léojac, Saint-Nauphary,Corbarieu,Bressols, Lacourt-Saint-Pierre, Montbeton and Albefeuille-Lagarde.

Climate
The climate of Montauban, in the Köppen climate classification, is Cfb - Oceanic climate with template summers.

The average amount of precipitation for the year in Montauban is . The month with the most precipitation on average is October with  of precipitation. The month with the least precipitation on average is February with an average of .

The average temperature for the year in Montauban is . The warmest month, on average, is July with an average temperature of . The coolest month on average is January, with an average temperature of .

Population
The inhabitants of Montauban are known, in French, as Montalbanais (women: Montalbanaises).

With a population of 58,826, Montauban has a population density of  inhabitants/km2.

Evolution of the population in Montauban

Administration 
Montauban is the prefecture of the Tarn-et-Garonne department since 1809. It is also the capital of the arrondissement of Montauban and the administrative centre () of three cantons, all formed with part of the commune:
 Montauban-1 : 19,143 inhabitants  (2014)
 Montauban-2 : 19,143 inhabitants (2014)
 Montauban-3 : 20,540 inhabitants (2014)

It is part of the intercommunality Le Grand Montauban ().

Sister cities 
Montauban is twinned with:
  Pawhuska, United States
  Yokneam, Israel
  Khemisset, Morocco
  Kozarac, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Places of interest
Some interesting places in Montauban are:
 The Place Nationale ("National Square") is a square of the 17th century.
 The Notre-Dame de l'Assomption cathedral is unique by its stone construction in a place dominated by red bricks. Its construction was ordered by Louis XIV.
 The Musée Ingres is the old town hall and  the residence of the bishops of Montauban built in 1664. The building houses some paintings of the famous painter Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres and some works of the sculptor Antoine Bourdelle; both artists were born in Montauban.
 The church of Saint Jacques is the only intact medieval church in Montauban.
 The Pont Vieux ("Old Bridge"), a bridge from the 14th century on the Tarn river.

Gallery

People from Montauban
 Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres (1780-1867) painter.
 Antoine Bourdelle (1861-1929), sculptor.

Related pages
 Arrondissement of Montauban
 Communes of the Tarn-et-Garonne department

References

Other websites

 Ville de Montauban - official website 
 Montauban Tourist Office 
 Ville de Montauban - Villes d'Art et d'Histoire 
 Communauté d'agglomération du Grand Montauban 

Cities in France
Communes in Tarn-et-Garonne
Departmental capitals in France