Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Parc de la Colombière is a 33 hectare public park, created in 1672 in Dijon by Louis II de Bourbon-Condé (the Grand Condé), governor of Burgundy. Located on the edge of the Ouche, it is designed as a French garden, with sixteen avenues radiating from a central roundabout. Between 1683 and 1685 thousands of trees (carmills, boxwoods, spruces, ifs) were planted, giving the park its current structure. The Grand Condé opens access to the Dijon, marking its anchor in local life.

At the beginning of the 18th century, Henri Jules de Bourbon-Condé, son of the Grand Condé, continued the development of the park with the help of landscaper Antoine de Maerle, student of André Le Nôtre. A Castel is built on the other side of the Ouche, connected to the park by a bridge. The park then incorporates emblematic elements of the French style, such as an octagonal alley around the main alleys. The Roman Via Agrippa (first century), connecting Langres to Chalon-sur-Saône, also crosses the site.

During the French Revolution, the park became municipal and partially lost its rigorous organization. In 1843, the gate and the pavilions of the Saint-Bernard Square were transferred to mark his entrance. In the 19th century, the park welcomed illustrious visitors, such as Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie in 1860. In 1965, the Temple of Love (17th century), from the castle of Bierre-lès-Semur, was installed.

In 1970, spaces dedicated to children and small-scale animals were created, modernizing its use. Today, the park houses about 6,000 trees of more than ten species, lawns, floral massifs, and Gallo-Roman archaeological remains. Ranked a historic monument since 1925, it remains the largest green space in Dijon, mixing historical heritage and public service.

His remarkable elements include an analemmatic sundial (moved in 1851 from Darcy Square) and a statue of Junon (copy of a 1783 work). The park thus illustrates the evolution of public gardens, from 17th century classicism to their contemporary civic appropriation.

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