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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The obelisk of Dijon, located in Place du Premier-Mai, was erected in 1786 to celebrate the junction of the two seas via the canal of Burgundy, linking the Yonne with the Saône. It also commemorates the beginning of the canal works, whose first stone was laid in 1784 by the Prince of Condé at Saint-Jean-de-Losne. The four sides of the base bear inscriptions recalling the decisions of the General States of 1760, the key dates of the works, and the arrivals of the first ships in 1808 and 1833.

Designed by engineer Emiland Gauthey from the plans of architect Bellu (1785), the obelisk was initially decorated with bronze medallions representing Louis XVI and the Prince of Bourbon-Condé, melted by François Bonin and placed under the supervision of François Devosge. These medallions were withdrawn in 1792. The monument, restored in 1979, saw its commemorative plaques replaced to recall its history. It has been listed as a historic monument since March 5, 1964.

The inscriptions on the base detail the major stages of the project: the decision of the states of Burgundy in 1783, the erection of the obelisk in 1786, and the symbolic arrivals of the first boats in 1808 (since Saint-Jean-de-Losne) and 1833 (since Paris). Each side of the pedestal is associated with a cardinal direction, although the texts and orientations do not always correspond. The monument thus illustrates the technical and economic ambition of Burgundy at the end of the eighteenth century.

The obelisk is part of a broader context for the development of inland waterways in France, aimed at linking the major river basins. In Dijon, this project also reflected local trade and transport issues, with the canal port playing a central role in the regional economy. The work, conducted under the direction of Émiland Gauthey, was marked by delays and changes of contractors, as evidenced by the departmental archives of the Côte-d'Or.

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