Vienna

Vienna, one of the most ancient towns of France, in the dept. of Isère (far away from the dept. of Vienne), on the left bank of the Rhone, 19 miles S. of Lyons by rail. The river Gère passes through the town, and here joins the Rhone, after having supplied motive-power to a number of mills and factories. Vienne was the chief town of the Allobroges, is mentioned by Cæsar, and by Martial, who terms it opulenta Viena; in the time of the Roman emperors it was the rival of Lyons. Besides numerous water-conduits, &c. of Roman construction, there are a Corinthian temple of Augustus and Livia, remains of a theatre, and an obelisk, called L'Aiguille, 72 feet high; and the museum contains many relics of Roman antiquity. The cathedral of St Maurice, partly Romanesque, partly Gothic, was built in 1107-1251; St Peter's dates from the 6th century. The town was prominent under the Burgundian princes, and its archbishop disputed with his neighbour of Lyons the primacy of Gaul. In 1312 a council was held here, in which Pope Clement V. pronounced the suppression of the order of the Templars. There are manufactures of woollens, silk, paper, leather, and iron goods, and trade in grain and wine. Pop. (1872) 21,430; (1891) 22,814.