Timeline of Besançon

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

Prior to 19th century

 * 58 BCE - Julius Caesar occupied Vesontio, the chief town of the Sequani.
 * 1st C. CE – (amphitheatre) built on outskirts of  in.
 * 175 CE – (arch) built (approximate date).
 * 4th C. – Roman Catholic diocese of Besançon active.
 * 11th C. – built.
 * 1184 - Frederick I made it a free imperial city.
 * 1393 – built.
 * 1487 – Printing press in operation.
 * 1537 – adopted.
 * 1540 – built by Nicolas Perrenot de Granvelle.
 * 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 – rebuilt.
 * 1751 - Birth of Marquis de Jouffroy d'Abbans, inventor of steam-navigation.
 * 1752 – founded.
 * 1766 – St. Madeleine Church built.
 * 1786 – 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 – created.
 * 1850 – laid out.
 * 1854 – Fountain installed in the.
 * 1856 – Railway begins operating.
 * 1871 – A project of Besançon Commune is engaged.
 * 1876 – Population: 54,404.
 * 1883 –  newspaper in publication.
 * 1888 – founded.
 * 1892 – built.
 * 1893 – (theatre) opens.
 * 1896 – Dépêche Républicaine newspaper begins publication.
 * 1897 – Besançon tramway begins operating.(fr)
 * 1899 – Société d'histoire naturelle du Doubs established.
 * 1900 – Fountain built on the Place Jean-Cornet.(fr)

20th century

 * 1902 – Victor Hugo statue erected on the Promenade Granvelle.(fr)
 * 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 – 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
 * established.
 * Francis of Assisi Church built.
 * 1975 – Population: 120,315.
 * 1977 – becomes mayor.
 * 1983 – Jean Minjoz Hospital opens.
 * 1994 – established.(fr)

21st century

 * 2001 – Jean-Louis Fousseret becomes mayor.
 * 2002 – 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: held.
 * 2016 – Besançon becomes part of the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region.
 * 2001 – Anne Vignot becomes mayor.