History of Brive
Inhabitants started to settle in the Brive area around the first century.
However, the city only began to grow much later.
The original city grew up around a fifth century church dedicated to St. Martin-l’Espagnol. Walls were built around the city during the twelfth century and during the Hundred Year’s War, a second wall was built to protect the city’s inhabitants. These walls no longer exist and have been replaced by wide boulevards.
The city was named “Brive” until 1919, when it was renamed to be “Brive-la-Gaillarde. The word Gaillarde means bravery or strength in the city’s name although it can refer to the old city walls.
Brive currently exists beyond its original boundaries into the suburbs of Malemort and Ussac.