old
of the 16th century flanked by cylindrical towers, and a sculptured gateway
of the 15th century. Vauban restored these works in the latter half of the
17th century, and built the arsenal now used as a market. The church of
Notre-Dame dates from the 14th century. Of the two towers surmounting its
triple porch only that to the south is finished. A lofty spire rises above
a third tower over the crossing. The hotel de ville (15th century) and some
houses of the Renaissance period are also of architectural interest. A
statue of Napoleon I. as a sub-lieutenant commemorates his sojourns in the
town from 1788 to 1791. Auxonne has a tribunal of commerce and a communal
college. Its industries are unimportant, but it has a large trade in the
vegetables produced by the numerous market gardens in the vicinity.

Auxonne, the name of which is derived from its position on the Saone (_ad
Sonam_), was in the middle ages chief place of a countship, which in the
first half of the 13th century passed to the dukes of Burgundy. The town
received a charter in 1229 and derived some importance from the mint which
the dukes of Burgundy founded in it. It was invested by the allies in 1814,
and surrendered to an Austrian force in the following year.

AVA, the ancient capital of the Burman empire, now a subdivision of the
Sagaing district in the Sagaing division of Upper Burma. It is situated on
the Irrawaddy on the opposite [v.03 p.0051] bank to Sagaing, with which it
was amalgamated in 1889. Amarapura, another ancient capital, lies 5 m. to
the north-east of Ava, and Mandalay, the present capital, 6 m. to the
north. The classical name of Ava is Yadanapura, "the city of precious
gems." It was founded by Thadomin Pay[=a] in A.D. 1364 as successor to
Pagan, and the religious buildings of Pagan were to a certain extent
reproduced here, although on nothing like the same scale as regards either
size or splendour. It remained the seat of government for about four
centuries with a succession of thirty kings. In 1782 a new capital,
Amarapura, was founded by Bodaw Pay[=a], but was deserted again in favour
of Ava by King Baggidaw in 1823. On his deposition by King Tharawaddi in
1837, the capital reverted to Amarapura; but finally in 1860 the last
capital of Mandalay was occupied by King Mind[=o]n. For picturesque beauty
Ava is unequalled in Burma, but it is now more like a park than the site of
an old capital. Traces of the great council chamber and variou