Pau is situated 80 km from the Atlantic
ocean in the western Pyrénées above the Gave de Pau River. In
the center of Pau is a castle that dominates
the 'Château quarter' of the city. It is famous
for being the birthplace of the 15th century king of France
Henri IV. In the castle is a museum collection which is open for a public.
Pau became the capital of the ancient viscountcy of Béarn in 1464, and
of the French part of the kingdom of Navarre in 1512. Nowadays the town
is the most cosmopolitan city in the western Pyrénées.
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