# Timeline of Besançon

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Besançon, France.

## Prior to 19th century

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Ancient Prehistory   Greek colonies 600 BC – 49 BC Celtic Gaul   until 50 BC Roman Gaul 50 BC – 486 AD :
Middle Ages Francia and the Frankish settlement   Merovingians 481–751 Carolingians 751–987     West Francia 843–987 Kingdom of France 987–1792     Direct Capetians 987–1328     Valois 1328–1498 :
Early modernAncien Régime
Valois-Orléans kings 1498–1515 Valois-Angoulême kings 1515–1589 Bourbon kings 1589–1792 :
Long 19th century French Revolution 1789–1799 Kingdom of France 1791–1792 First Republic 1792–1804 First Empire 1804–1814 Restoration 1814–1830 July Monarchy 1830–1848 Second Republic 1848–1852 Second Empire 1852–1870 Third Republic 1870–1940     Belle Époque 1871–1914 :
20th century Third Republic 1870–1940     Interwar period 1919–1939         Années folles 1920–1929 Free FranceVichy France 1940–1944 Provisional Republic 1944–1946 Fourth Republic 1946–1958 Fifth Republic 1958–present :
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* 58 BCE - Julius Caesar occupied Vesontio, the chief town of the Sequani.
* 1st C. CE – Arènes de Besançon [fr] (amphitheatre) built on outskirts of La Boucle [fr] in Vesontio [fr].
* 175 CE – Porte Noire (Besançon) [fr] (arch) built (approximate date).
* 4th C. – Roman Catholic diocese of Besançon active.
* 11th C. – Church of Notre-Dame, Besançon [fr] built.
* 1184 - Frederick I made it a free imperial city.
* 1393 – Hôtel de Ville built.
* 1487 – Printing press in operation.
* 1537 – Besançon coat of arms [fr] adopted.
* 1540 – Palais Granvelle (Besançon) [fr] built by Nicolas Perrenot de Granvelle.
* 1573 – Hôtel de Ville rebuilt.
* 1668 – Citadel of Besançon construction begins.
* 1674 – Siege of Besançon.
* 1676 – Parlement of Besançon established.
* 1678 – Besançon becomes part of France per Treaty of Nijmegen.
* 1694 - Bibliothèque municipale de Besançon (municipal library) founded.
* 1749 – Besançon courthouse [fr] rebuilt.
* 1751 - Birth of Marquis de Jouffroy d'Abbans, inventor of steam-navigation.
* 1752 – Besançon Academy of Sciences, Humanities and Arts [fr] founded.
* 1766 – St. Madeleine Church built.
* 1786 – St. Peter's Church, Besançon [fr] built.
* 1790 – Besançon becomes part of the Doubs souveraineté.
* 1793 – Population: 25,328.
* 1796 – Departmental archives of Doubs established.

## 19th century

* 1802 – 26 February: Birth of Victor Hugo, writer.
* 1814 – Besançon besieged by Austrian forces.
* 1818 – Besançon municipal library building opens.
* 1819 – Chamber of Commerce established.
* 1831 – Fort Beauregard built.
* 1833 – Rhone–Rhine Canal opens.
* 1843 – Parc Micaud [fr] created.
* 1850 – Rue de Dole [fr] laid out.
* 1854 – Fountain installed in the Place de la Révolution (Besançon) [fr].
* 1856 – Railway begins operating.
* 1871 – A project of Besançon Commune is engaged.
* 1876 – Population: 54,404.
* 1883 – Le Petit Comtois [fr] newspaper in publication.
* 1888 – Dairy College [fr] founded.
* 1892 – Besançon-les-Bains built.
* 1893 – Kursaal de Besançon [fr] (theatre) opens.
* 1896 – Dépêche Républicaine newspaper begins publication.
* 1897 – Besançon tramway begins operating.
* 1899 – Société d'histoire naturelle du Doubs established.
* 1900 – Fountain built on the Place Jean-Cornet.

## 20th century

* 1902 – Victor Hugo statue erected on the Promenade Granvelle.
* 1903 – Eclair Comtois newspaper begins publication.
* 1906 - Population: 56,168.
* 1910 – January 1910 Doubs river flood.
* 1911 – Population: 57,978.
* 1945 – Jean Minjoz becomes mayor.
* 1948 – Besançon International Music Festival begins.
* 1951 – International Besançon Competition for Young Conductors begins.
* 1953 – Battant Bridge [fr] rebuilt.
* 1954 – Population: 73,445.
* 1957 – Botanical garden established at Place Leclerc.
* 1960 – Planoise redevelopment process begins.
* 1964 – Gare de Besançon-Viotte rebuilt.
* 1968 – Population: 113,220.
* 1970 – Besançon courthouse attack.
* 1972
** Centre dramatique national Besançon Franche-Comté [fr] established.
** Francis of Assisi Church built.
* 1975 – Population: 120,315.
* 1977 – Robert Schwint [fr] becomes mayor.
* 1983 – Jean Minjoz Hospital opens.
* 1994 – Sunna Mosque, Besançon [fr] established.

## 21st century

* 2001 – Saint Louis becomes mayor.
* 2002 – Musée du Temps de Besançon [fr] opens.
* 2005 – 3 November: 2005 Planoise Forum fire.
* 2010 – 13 December: School hostage crisis.
* 2011 – Population: 115,879.
* 2014 – 30 August: commissioning of the Besançon tramway.
* 2015 – December: Bourgogne-Franche-Comté regional election, 2015 [fr] held.
* 2016 – Besançon becomes part of the Bourgogne-Franche-Combat region.
* 2021 – Anne Vignot becomes mayor.