Rodez () is a commune in southwestern France in the department of Aveyron, of which it is its prefecture. It is in the region of Occitanie.

It was the capital of Rouergue, a former French province. Rodez is also the capital of 3 cantons: Rodez-1, Rodez-2 and Rodez-Onet.

History
Existing from at least the 5th century BC, Rodez was founded by Celtic people, the Ruteni. Here they built an oppidum (fortified place) which, after the Roman occupation, was named Segodunum ("Fortified place", "high hill"). The town later was given the name of Civitas Rutenorum ("City of the Ruteni") and then only Ruteni and, finally, Rodez.

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the city was taken by the Visigoths and then by the Franks; in 725, the Moors took the city and destroyed the old church. Later it was occupied by the armies of the Dukes of Aquitaine and of the Counts of Toulouse. English troops occupied Rodez during the Hundred Years War.

With the creation of the Aveyron department in 1790, Rodez became préfecture of the department.

Geography
The commune of Rodez is on the western part of the central plateau (Massif Central) of France. The Aveyron river and the Auterne stream flow through the city.

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

Rodez is surrounded by the communes Onet-le-Château, Sainte-Radegonde, Le Monastère and Olemps.

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

Population
The inhabitants of Rodez are known, in French, as Ruthénois (women: Ruthénoises).

With a population of 24,088, Rodez has a population density of  inhabitants/km2.

Evolution of the population in Rodez

Rodez forms, together with 5 other communes, the urban area of Rodez with a population of 49,716 inhabitants (2013) and an area of . This urban area is the centre of the metropolitan area of Rodez, formed by 39 communes with a population of 85,181 inhabitants and an area of .

Administration 
Rodez is the prefecture of the Aveyron department, the capital of the arrondissement of Rodez and the administrative centre () of three cantons:
 Rodez-1, with 11,905 inhabitants (2014).
 Rodez-2, with 12,051 inhabitants (2014).
 Rodez-Onet, with 14,105 inhabitants (2014).

It is part of the intercommunality Rodez Agglomération ().

Sister cities 
Rodez is twinned with:
  Pigüé, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina
  Bamberg, Bavaria, Germany
  Fderîck, Mauritania

Places of interest
Some interesting places in Rodez are:
 The Rodez Cathedral () is a Roman Catholic cathedral;  is the main religious building of the department.
 The Episcopal Palace (), built in the 15th century.
 The Saint-Amans Church, built in the 12th century and then completely rebuilt from 1758 to 1761 with materials from the original building.
 The Hôtel de la préfecture, built in the first half of the 18th century. It is now home to the prefecture of the Aveyron department.

Gallery

References

Related pages
 Arrondissements of the Aveyron department
 Communes of the Aveyron department

Other websites

 City Council website 
 Office de Tourisme - Rodez
 Rodez Agglomération 

Communes in Aveyron
Departmental capitals in France