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/km2.
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 (2014). Pamiers-2, with 14,702 inhabitants (2014).
It is part of the intercommunality Les Portes d'Ariège - Pyrénées ().
Twinned and partner towns
Pamiers is twinned with: Crailsheim, Germany Tarrasa, Spain