Pamiers

**Pamiers** () is a _commune_ in the Ariège department in the Occitanie region in southwestern France. It is a subprefecture of the department. Although Pamiers is the largest city in Ariège, the capital is Foix, a smaller city.

## History

In 1111, the city was officially founded by the Count Roger II of Foix and the abbot of the sanctuary of Saint Antonin of Pamiers; they built a castle (now demolished) and named it _Castrum Appamiae_, after a Syrian city, Apamea, that was visited by Roger II during the First Crusade. A church was built at the foot of the castle (Our Lady of Mercadal) where is now the cathedral.

## Geography

The city of Pamiers is along the Ariège river in the plain formed by this river in the northern part of the Ariège department, in southern France.

The _commune_ has an area of . Its average altitude is ; at the city hall, the altitude is .

Pamiers is at  to the south of Toulouse,  to the north of Foix and  to the west of Saint-Girons.

The _commune_ of Pamiers is surrounded by the _communes_:

### Climate

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

## Population

The inhabitants of Pamiers are known, in French, as _Appaméens_ (women: _Appaméennes_).

With a population of 15,518, Pamiers is the city in the department with more people living in it; its population density is of  inhabitants/km<sup>2</sup>.

**Evolution of the population in Pamiers**

Pamiers forms, with other 6 _communes_, the urban area of Pamiers with a population of 26,727 inhabitants (2013) and an area of . This urban area is the centre of the metropolitan area of Pamiers, formed by 29 _communes_ with a population of 35,054 inhabitants (2013) and an area of .

## Administration

Pamiers is a subprefecture of the Ariège department, the capital of the _arrondissement_ of Pamiers and the administrative centre () of two cantons:
- Pamiers-1, with 12,332 inhabitants <small>(2014)</small>.
- Pamiers-2, with 14,702 inhabitants <small>(2014)</small>.

It is part of the intercommunality _Les Portes d'Ariège - Pyrénées_ ().

### Twinned and partner towns

Pamiers is twinned with:
- Crailsheim, Germany
- Tarrasa, Spain

## People from or related to Prades

- Gabriel Fauré, (1845-1924), composer
- Pope Benedict XII, (ca. 1280-1342), bishop of Pamiers in the 1320s

## Related pages

- Arrondissement of Pamiers
- Communes of the Ariège department

## Other websites

- City Council website
- Pays de Pamiers tourist office
- Pamiers in Histariège - Histoire et Patrimoine de l'Ariège

## Infobox (french commune)

- **name**: Pamiers
- **commune status**: Subprefectures in France, Subprefecture and Communes of France, commune
- **image coat of arms**: Blason Pamiers 09.svg
- **image**: Pamiers - Hôtel de ville.JPG
- **caption**: Pamiers: City Hall
- **arrondissement**: Pamiers
- **canton**: Pamiers-1
Pamiers-2
- **intercommunality**: Les Portes d'Ariège - Pyrénées
- **mayor**: André Trigano
- **term**: 2014–2020
- **elevation m**: 365
- **elevation min m**: 256
- **elevation max m**: 473
- **area km2**: 45.85
- **population demonym**: Appaméens
- **population**: 15518
- **population date**: 2014
- **insee**: 09225
- **postal code**: 09100
- **website**: [http://www.ville-pamiers.fr/ www.ville-pamiers.fr]