or CLERMONT FERRAND, the ancient Augustonemetum, a city of France, capital of Basse Auvergne and of the department of Puy-de-Dôme, situated on a hill composed chiefly of volcanic tufa, in the fertile district of Limagne, and surrounded on the S. and W. by a line of mountains, of which the Puy-de-Dôme is the culminating point. The city lies in Lat. 45° 46', N., Long. 3° 5', E., and is 220 miles S. by E. from Paris. Pop. (1851) 30,563. It is composed of the two towns of Clermont and Mount Ferrand, connected by a fine avenue of walnut trees and willows, two miles in length. The streets are generally ill laid out, narrow, and crooked; and the houses are built of dull gray lava, which has a gloomy effect. It has several handsome squares ornamented with fountains, and is well supplied with water brought by subterranean conduits from Royat, a league distant. The principal public building is the cathedral—a Gothic edifice of the thirteenth century, and though still unfinished its interior is considered one of the finest existing specimens of Gothic architecture. The church of Notre-Dame-du-Port is curiously decorated externally with mosaic work, bas-reliefs, &c., and is very ancient—parts of it dating from 870. Clermont has also a university, academy, royal college, botanic garden, public library of 18,000 vols., museums of natural history and antiquities, two hospitals, theatre, &c. The manufactures are woollen and linen goods, silk stockings, paper, cutlery, jewellery, &c. Being the entrepot for the produce of the surrounding departments, it carries on a considerable trade in hemp, flax, corn, wine, cheese, wool, hides, and cattle. In the suburb of St Alyre to the N.W. of the city is a remarkable calcareous spring, the copious deposits of which have formed a curious natural bridge. At Clermont was held the celebrated council of 1095, which gave rise to the first crusade. Pascal was a native of Clermont.