Take advantage of your visit to the Hotel Foch in Besançon to discover the city's jewel
An incredible history since the 3rd century
The mother church was conceived and built at the beginning of the 3rd century. Little by little, each archbishop applied his touch to the building without succeeding in truly building the diocese of Besançon. It was not until the arrival of Archbishop Hugues de Salins in the 11th century that major progress was made. Unfortunately, successive wars have damaged this church, of which nothing remains to this day.
A reconstruction was started in the 12th century by Archbishop Anséri and Pope Eugène III. The church is larger than its predecessor, but retains common features such as the two apses and the timbered roof.
In the 13th century, a fire destroyed the roof of the Romanesque cathedral. A Gothic architect took over. While respecting the work of his predecessor, he made stylistic changes to give it a new look.
After that, each century brought its own changes. New stained glass windows, a large sacristy, a brand new bell tower... This improvement led to the cathedral being classified as a "Historic Monument" in 1875.
An astronomical clock at the top of Saint John's Cathedral
Built in the 19th century, the astronomical clock is the third designed by the clockmaker Auguste-Lucien Vérité after the one in Strasbourg and the one in Beauvais. It is installed in the lower part of the bell tower. It certifies the activity of the exterior and interior dials of the cathedral. Its mechanism always impresses. With its more than 30,000 parts, it can perform 11 movements at the same time. There are almost 60 dials to give indications such as the day's calendar, the time of the open sea or the eclipse.
This technical masterpiece can be admired from all angles. Its beauty, its sturdiness in the face of the passing years and its mechanism make this part of the cathedral a visit not to be missed during your visit to Besançon.
Practical information
For the Saint-Jean Cathedral :
📍 9 rue de la Convention, 25000 Besançon
🗓 All year round
⏰ From 9 am to 7 pm (until 6 pm from All Saints' Day to Easter)
💸 Free visit on its own; guided tour from €5 at the Tourist Office
For the astronomical clock:
🗓 From April to October, during the All Saints' Day holidays and the Christmas holidays
⏰ Open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 am to 12.30 pm and from 2 pm to 6 pm
💸 4 €
