Dijon, the tasty mustard that is served with many fine delicacies, has the mouth watering of gourmets. But Dijon is not just a spice, Dijon is also an important onecityin France. This is located in the province of Burgundy. About 150,000 people live in Dijon. The capital of the Departments Cote-d’Or has a lot to offer and is also the historic capital of the Burgundy region.
The splendid Saone plain is that homeland of the city of Dijon. The Ouche meanders through the city. The area is connected to the Saone by the Canal de Bourgogne.
Today Dijon is an important center of transport, trade and industry in the region. The University of Bourgogne is based here and was founded in 1722. In addition to the famous mustard, a lot of Burgundy wine is also traded here.
The history of the city of Dijon
Archaeologists date the oldest finds back to the time of Hallstatt. This was a phase of the Iron Age. It is also known that the Romans set up several small camps on Via Agriippa and named one of them Divio. The location on the Roman road between Lyon and Trier meant that Divio was often attacked by Teutons. The Romans therefore fortified the city in 273 to protect it against the attackers.
In the Battle of Dijon in 500 the Burgundians were defeated by the Franks. King Robert the Pious bought Dijon in 1016 and incorporated it as part of the Burgundy region, where it has remained to this day.
The heyday and the associated rise of Dijon began in the 17th century and continued in the 18th century. With the founding of the university in 1722, the scientific advancement began. In 1740 the Academy of Sciences, Arts and Literature was founded. The botanical garden and the well-known natural history museum were also built during this time.
July 18, 1766 excited excitement in the whole city, because the “child prodigy” Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who was 10 years old at the time, visited the city with his father and sister. He gave a concert with them.
The 19th century saw another upswing in Dijon. Since it also had to be expanded in terms of area technology, the historical fortifications from Roman times were forced to be demolished.
During the Second World War, the Germans bombed the city in 1940 and then occupied it. On September 11, 1944, Dijon was liberated.
Sights of Dijon
One of the most famous palaces from the former ducal era is in Dijon. It is built on a semicircular square lined with colonnades. It was built in the 17th century and the town hall is located in the west wing of the building today.
The 46 m high is also historically significant Tour Phillipe-le-Bon, which dates from the 15th century.
In the entire quarter of the famous ducal palace there are splendid patrician houses, which date back to the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The Cathedrale Saint Benigne is a Gothic cathedral that was built between 1271 and 1325. The previous building from the 11th century had previously collapsed. The remains of the old building can be seen in the crypt.The most famous church, however, is certainly Notre-Dame. It was built between 1220 and 1250 in the Burgundian Gothic style.
