a spire, in France. The works were completed in the fifteen years between 1510 and 1526 and this despite the plague ravaging the city. The rivalry between the two powers somewhat served the development of Rodez. Despite the testimonies that are its many made Gothic masterpieces from the 13th to the 16th century, the city has not really experienced long periods of prosperity. In 1589, Henri IV, Count of Rodez, attached the destiny of the County of Rodez to the Crown. The story of Rodez then copied that of France. Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, Rodez became a thriving market city. Rodez was divided into 6 parishes: Notre-Dame (cathedral, suburb) Saint-Amans, including the hamlet of Pont-Viel, a large part of the territory of the current commune of Olemps (Olemps, La Mouline, Toizac, Linars, Benechou) and a part of the municipality of La Monastère (Foulhoubous) Sainte-Catherine La Madeleine (church demolished) Saint-Martin-des-Prés (Layoule area) Saint-Félix: The area of Saint-Felix, Calcomier, La Peyrinie, and the entire valley of the Fontanges stream located in the current municipality of Onet-le-Château (Canaguet, Fontanges, Floyrac, Labro, , Puech Baurez Flars) Modern era The old rival of Rodez was Villefranche-de-Rouergue. The French Revolution took away Villefranche's role of administrative capital, for the benefit of Rodez, which became prefecture and of the new department of Aveyron due to its central position. The religious heritage of the city was only partially degraded. In June 1792, the scientists of the time cared about to know the exact measurement of the metre. Rodez would be a "central" element to accomplish this measure. Indeed, Jean Baptiste Joseph Delambre was responsible for measuring the distance from Dunkirk to Rodez, while Pierre Méchain was the one measuring between Barcelona and Rodez. They were to meet in Rodez to combine their results and determine the value of the metre. In 1793, at Montjouy in Barcelona, Méchain detected an inconsistency between the recorded lengths and an astronomical survey of the position of the stars. The Franco-Spanish war prevented him from repeating measurements. This difference (which was in fact not due to a handling error but the uncertainty of the instruments used) plunged him into deep trouble and he made every effort to avoid having to report on his work in Paris. In 1799, he resigned himself to attend an international conference which welcomed his scientific work. In 1798, the was created. Under the Bourbon Restoration, the