Autun

For the house in the United States, see Autun (West Whiteland Township, Pennsylvania).

Autun

Roman ramparts

Coat of arms

Autun

Location within Burgundy region

Autun

Coordinates: 46°57′06″N 4°17′58″E / 46.9517°N 4.2994°ECoordinates: 46°57′06″N 4°17′58″E / 46.9517°N 4.2994°E

Country

Burgundy

Autun

Autunois

Government

• Mayor (2014–2020)

Rémi Rebeyrotte (Independent Socialist)

Area¹

61.52 km² (23.75 sq mi)

Population (2012)²

14,124

• Density

230/km² (590/sq mi)

INSEE/Postal code

710014 / 71400

Elevation

280–642 m (919–2,106 ft)

¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

² Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Autun (French pronunciation: [otœ̃]) is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in Burgundy in eastern France. It was founded during the early Roman Empire by Emperor Augustus as Augustodunum to give a Roman capital to the Gallic people Aedui, who had Bibracte as their political centre. In Roman times the city could be home to 30,000 to 100,000 people according to different estimates.^[1]

Early history

Augustodunum was founded during the reign of the first Roman emperor, Augustus, after whom it was named. It was the tribal capital (civitas) of the Celtic Aedui, who had been allies and "brothers" (fratres) of Rome since before Julius Caesar's conquest of Gaul. Augustodunum was a planned foundation replacing the original oppidum Bibracte, located some 25 km (16 mi) away. Several elements of Roman architecture such as walls, gates, and a Roman theater are still visible in the town.

Roman theater

In AD 356, Autun came under siege by a force of Alamanni. The disrepair of the walls left the city in danger of falling. Autun was saved by the arrival of the Emperor Julian in one of his early military successes.

In late antiquity, Autun became famous for its schools of rhetoric. A world map based on the work of Ptolemy was famous for its size and was displayed in the portico of one of the schools. It may have survived until early modern times.^[2]

Janus Temple

The area lies in the area of Burgundy.

In 725, the Umayyad general Anbasa ibn Suhaym Al-Kalbi (عنبسة بن سحيم الكلبي) marched up the Saône valley to Autun. On 22 August 725 he captured the town after defeating forces led by the local bishop, Emilian d’Autun, who was slain during the course of the battle. Autun marks the easternmost extent of the Umayyad campaign in Europe.^[3] However, the position was never retained, and Anbasa died soon after. The Umayyads are known to have raided the lower Rhone during the next decade, but Uzès was their northernmost stronghold and possibly Marseille the easternmost coastal stronghold.

In 880 the Count of Autun, Richard of Autun, became the first Duke of Burgundy.

Modern times

In 1788, Talleyrand became bishop of Autun. He was elected member of the clergy for the Estates General of 1789.

The High School plays an important role in the history of the city and even France since Napoleon Bonaparte, who gave it its current name and his brothers Joseph and Lucien have studied there . This school continues to operate today. You can admire the wrought iron gates erected in 1772, the subjects taught in this place are indicated by various representations of objects along the top of these grids .

During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, Garibaldi chose the city as its headquarters .

Population

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1793	7,792	—
1806	9,400	+20.6%
1821	9,744	+3.7%
1831	9,936	+2.0%
1841	11,637	+17.1%
1851	11,997	+3.1%
1861	11,897	−0.8%
1872	11,684	−1.8%
1881	14,049	+20.2%
1891	15,187	+8.1%
1901	15,764	+3.8%
1911	15,498	−1.7%
1921	13,856	−10.6%
1931	14,045	+1.4%
1946	14,438	+2.8%
1954	14,399	−0.3%
1962	15,305	+6.3%
1968	18,398	+20.2%
1975	21,556	+17.2%
1982	20,587	−4.5%
1990	17,906	−13.0%
1999	16,419	−8.3%
2006	14,806	−9.8%
2012	14,124	−4.6%

Sights

Saint-André gate

Arroux gate

The city boasts two ancient Roman gates (the Porte St.-André and Porte d'Arroux) and other ruins dating to the time of Augustus. One of the most impressive remains is that of the ancient theatre, which was one of the largest in the western part of the empire with a 17,000 seat capacity. To the northwest of the city is the so-called Temple of Janus, only two walls (faces) of which remain. To the southeast is the mysterious Pierre de Couhard, a rock pyramid of uncertain function which may date to Roman times.

Couhard Pyramid

Autun Cathedral, also known as St. Lazare's cathedral, dates from the early twelfth century and is a major example of Romanesque architecture. It was formerly the chapel of the Dukes of Burgundy; their palace was the actual episcopal residence. The cathedral was originally built as a pilgrimage church for the veneration of the relics of Lazarus, Lazare d'Aix, a Christian martyr who was archbishop of Aix-en-Province. Autun's 12th-century bishop, Étienne de Bâgé, probably built the church in response to the construction of Ste. Madeleine at nearby Vézelay, home to the French cult of Mary Magdalene. St. Lazare was only later elevated to the rank of cathedral, replacing the former cathedral dedicated to St. Nazaire.^[4]

Autun Cathedral is famous for its architectural sculpture, particularly the tympanum of The Last Judgment above the west portal, surviving fragments from the lost portal of the north transept, and the capitals in the nave and choir. All of these are traditionally considered the work of Gislebertus, whose name is on the west tympanum. It is uncertain whether Gislebertus is the name of the sculptor or of a patron. If Gislebertus is in fact the artist, he is one of very few medieval artists whose name is known.

Sculpture from Lazare tomb
Saint-Lazare cathedrale
Saint-Lazare cathedrale tympan, by Gislebert

Other notable connections

Bishop and Saint Leodegar
Nivelon I (d. 768) was known as Count of Autun
In the late 9th century, Charles Martel's daughter (name listed as Auda, Alane, or Aldana) married Thierry IV (also called Theoderich or Theoderic), Count of Autun. According to the controversial book Holy Blood Holy Grail (which may merely be repeating local legend), Theoderic was declared a King by the Carolingians, and his son was Saint William of Gellone. (For more details on this topic, see Septimania#References in popular culture.)
In the late 9th century, the countship was vacant after the death of Robert the Strong, but was returned to Bernard Plantapilosa, son of Bernard of Septimania, and then later to Bernat of Gothia, Count of Barcelona after Bernard fell out of favor.
In 878, King Louis the Younger took the countship away and gave it to his chamberlain, Theodoric.
Richard of Autun (c.867-921), also Count of Autun, was also the first Duke of Burgundy, whose ducal principality amalgamated several countships including Autun
Honorius of Autun (died c. 1151)
Napoleon I's foreign minister Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord was a sometime bishop of Autun.
Nicolas Rolin, Chancellor of Burgundy under Philip the Good, came from Autun, where several examples of his artistic patronage can be seen. The Rolin Madonna, by Jan van Eyck, in the Louvre, shows what was probably at least intended as a view of Autun in the background.
In 1837, a commercial mining of oil shale deposit near Autun marked the beginning of the modern oil shale industry.^[5]
In 1852, the uranium mineral autunite was first discovered near Autun, and named for the town.
James Salter's 1967 novel "A Sport and a Pastime" is set mainly in Autun.
The European Triathlon Championships were also held in the town in 2006.
The Fifth Stage of the 2007 Tour de France ended in the town, with the entrance to Autun being a twisting and winding route down from a nearby mountain.

Sister cities

Autun has sister city relationships with the following municipalities.

City	Country	Year
Stevenage	United Kingdom	1975
Ingelheim am Rhein	Germany
Kawagoe	Japan	2002^[6]
Arévalo	Spain

References

INSEE statistics

↑
↑ John Brian Harley, David Woodward, The History of Cartography Vol I p290
↑ Septimania
↑ Linda Seidel, Legends in limestone: Lazarus, Gislebertus, and the Cathedral of Autun (University of Chicago Press, 1999), p. 35 online.
↑ Laherrère, Jean (2005). "Review on oil shale data" (PDF). Hubbert Peak. Retrieved 2007-06-17.
↑ フランス共和国ブルゴーニュ州　オータン市 [Autun, France] (in Japanese). Japan: Kawagoe International Center. 2003. Retrieved 29 November 2014.