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Origin and history

The Cathedral of Saint-Bénigne de Dijon came into being at the beginning of the sixth century, when Bishop Gregory of Langres had a crypt built in 511 to house the sarcophagus of Saint Bénigne, a Christian martyr of the second century. A basilica was erected on this site in 535, then restored in 871 by Bishop Isaac, who founded the Benedictine abbey of Saint-Bénigne. The building became a major pilgrimage place after the rediscovery of the saint's relics.

In the 11th century, under the impetus of Bishop Brunon of Roucy and Abbé Guillaume de Volpiano, the abbey was entirely rebuilt between 1001 and 1018 in an ambitious preroman style, inspired by Cluny. The rotunda, a three-level architectural masterpiece dedicated to John the Baptist, the Virgin and the Trinity, symbolized a synthesis between ancient traditions (influence of the Pantheon of Rome) and liturgical innovations. The crypt, the only current vestige of this rotunda, illustrates this lavish period.

The present Gothic church was built between 1280 and 1393 after the collapse of the Romanesque basilica, however retaining the crypt. She became a cathedral in 1792 when the Diocese of Dijon was founded and was destroyed during the Revolution, including the partial demolition of her rotunda. In the 19th century, restorations carried out by Jean-Philippe Suisse and supervised by Viollet-le-Duc allowed to rediscover and preserve the crypt, classified as a historical monument since 1846.

The 12th century Romanesque portal, now gone, was decorated with sculptures depicting Christ in majesty and biblical scenes such as the Nativity. Only five fragments remain, including statue heads and archiplot elements. The cathedral also houses a historic organ built by the Riepp brothers in the 18th century, restored several times, and a carillon of 63 bells installed in the south tower.

A significant event in his recent history was Santa's case, which he pleaded in 1951, when Vicar Jacques Nourissat burned a Santa's effigy on the court to protest against the Christmas marketing. This act, widely publicized, opposed the local church to the mayor of Dijon, Canon Kir, who replied by installing a Santa Claus on the roof of the town hall.

Today, Saint-Bénigne Cathedral combines Romanesque, Gothic and Gothic heritage. Its crypt, currently being restored, will reopen in 2024, while its nave and choir, with its characteristic elevations, testify to its central role in the religious and architectural history of Burgundy.

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