Autun
Autun
Location within Burgundy region  Autun
Administration
Country	France
Region	Burgundy
Department	Saône-et-Loire
Arrondissement	Autun
Canton	Autun
Intercommunality	Autunois
Mayor	Rémi Rebeyrotte
Statistics
Land area1	61.52 km2 (23.75 sq mi)
Population2	16,082  (2006)
- Density	261 /km2 (680 /sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	710014/ 71400
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.

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

Autun is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in Burgundy in eastern France. It was founded during the early Roman Empire as Augustodunum. Autun marks the easternmost extent of the Umayyad campaign in Europe.

Early history[link]

Autun was founded during the reign of the first Roman emperor, Augustus, after whom it was named. It was the civitas capital of the Celtic Aedui, who had been allies and fratres ("brothers") of Rome since before Julius Caesar's conquest of Gaul. Augustodunum was a planned foundation replacing the original oppidum or hillfort Bibracte, located some 15 miles away. Several elements of Roman architecture such as walls, gates, and a Roman theatre are still visible in the town.

In 356 AD, 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 famous for its size was displayed in the portico of one of the schools and may have survived until early modern times.^[1]

The area lies in the area of Burgundy, and in the Middle Ages, it was a Count of Autun who became the first Duke of Burgundy.

In 725, the Umayyad general ‘Anbassa 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 would be the easternmost point of expansion of Umayyad forces into Europe.^[2] Just seven years later in 732, the Umayyads would be forced to begin their withdrawal to al-Andalus after facing defeat at the Battle of Tours.

Main sights[link]

Roman theatre

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.

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.^[3]

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.

Other notable connections[link]

• 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 Plantilosa, 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 amalagmated 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.^[4]
• In 1852, the uranium mineral autunite was first discovered near Autun, and named for the town.
• 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[link]

Autun has sister city relationships with:

City	Country	Year
Stevenage	United Kingdom	1975
Ingelheim am Rhein	Germany
Kawagoe	Japan
Arévalo	Spain

See also[link]

• Autun Cathedral
• fr:Musée Rolin
• Bishopric of Autun
• Communes of the Saône-et-Loire department
• Parc naturel régional du Morvan

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• Westermann, Großer Atlas zur Weltgeschichte (in German)
• INSEE
•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). Catholic Encyclopedia. Robert Appleton Company. 

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Autun

Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article Autun.

• Official website (French)
• Visiting Autun (tourist map and photos)
• Adrian Fletcher’s Paradoxplace – Autun Cathedral St-Lazare Photo Pages
• The Stevenage-Ingelheim-Autun Association

v t e Communes of the Saône-et-Loire department L'Abergement-de-Cuisery L'Abergement-Sainte-Colombe Allerey-sur-Saône Allériot Aluze Amanzé Ameugny Anglure-sous-Dun Anost Antully Anzy-le-Duc Artaix Authumes Autun Auxy Azé Ballore Bantanges Barizey Barnay Baron Baudemont Baudrières Baugy Beaubery Beaumont-sur-Grosne Beaurepaire-en-Bresse Beauvernois Bellevesvre Bergesserin Berzé-la-Ville Berzé-le-Châtel Bey Bissey-sous-Cruchaud Bissy-la-Mâconnaise Bissy-sous-Uxelles Bissy-sur-Fley Les Bizots Blanot Blanzy Bois-Sainte-Marie Bonnay Les Bordes Bosjean Bouhans La Boulaye Bourbon-Lancy Bourg-le-Comte Bourgvilain Bouzeron Boyer Bragny-sur-Saône Brandon Branges Bray Bresse-sur-Grosne Le Breuil Briant Brienne Brion Broye Bruailles Buffières Burgy Burnand Burzy Bussières Buxy La Celle-en-Morvan Céron Cersot Chagny Chaintré Chalmoux Chalon-sur-Saône Chambilly Chamilly Champagnat Champagny-sous-Uxelles Champforgeuil Champlecy Chânes Change Changy Chapaize La Chapelle-au-Mans La Chapelle-de-Bragny La Chapelle-de-Guinchay La Chapelle-du-Mont-de-France La Chapelle-Naude La Chapelle-Saint-Sauveur La Chapelle-sous-Brancion La Chapelle-sous-Dun La Chapelle-sous-Uchon La Chapelle-Thècle Charbonnat Charbonnières Chardonnay Charette-Varennes La Charmée Charmoy Charnay-lès-Chalon Charnay-lès-Mâcon Charolles Charrecey Chasselas Chassey-le-Camp Chassigny-sous-Dun Chassy Château Châteauneuf Châtel-Moron Châtenay Châtenoy-en-Bresse Châtenoy-le-Royal Chaudenay Chauffailles La Chaux Cheilly-lès-Maranges Chenay-le-Châtel Chenôves Chérizet Chevagny-les-Chevrières Chevagny-sur-Guye Chiddes Chissey-en-Morvan Chissey-lès-Mâcon Ciel Ciry-le-Noble La Clayette Clermain Clessé Clessy Cluny Clux Collonge-en-Charollais Collonge-la-Madeleine Colombier-en-Brionnais La Comelle Condal Cordesse Cormatin Cortambert Cortevaix Coublanc Couches Crêches-sur-Saône Créot Cressy-sur-Somme Le Creusot Crissey Cronat Cruzille Cuiseaux Cuisery Culles-les-Roches Curbigny Curdin Curgy Curtil-sous-Buffières Curtil-sous-Burnand Cussy-en-Morvan Cuzy Damerey Dampierre-en-Bresse Davayé Demigny Dennevy Dettey Devrouze Dezize-lès-Maranges Diconne Digoin Dommartin-lès-Cuiseaux Dompierre-les-Ormes Dompierre-sous-Sanvignes Donzy-le-National Donzy-le-Pertuis Dracy-le-Fort Dracy-lès-Couches Dracy-Saint-Loup Dyo Écuelles Écuisses Épertully Épervans Épinac Essertenne Étang-sur-Arroux Étrigny Farges-lès-Chalon Farges-lès-Mâcon Le Fay Flacey-en-Bresse Flagy Fleurville Fleury-la-Montagne Fley Fontaines Fontenay Fragnes Frangy-en-Bresse La Frette Fretterans Frontenard Frontenaud Fuissé Génelard La Genête Genouilly Gergy Germagny Germolles-sur-Grosne Gibles Gigny-sur-Saône Gilly-sur-Loire Givry Gourdon La Grande-Verrière Grandvaux Granges Grevilly Grury Guerfand Les Guerreaux Gueugnon La Guiche Hautefond L'Hôpital-le-Mercier Huilly-sur-Seille Hurigny Igé Igornay Iguerande Issy-l'Évêque Jalogny Jambles Joncy Joudes Jouvençon Jugy Juif Jully-lès-Buxy Lacrost Laives Laizé Laizy Lalheue Lans Lays-sur-le-Doubs Lesme Lessard-en-Bresse Lessard-le-National Leynes Ligny-en-Brionnais Loisy Longepierre Louhans Lournand La Loyère Lucenay-l'Évêque Lugny Lugny-lès-Charolles Lux Mâcon Mailly Malay Maltat Mancey Marcigny Marcilly-la-Gueurce Marcilly-lès-Buxy Marigny Marizy Marly-sous-Issy Marly-sur-Arroux Marmagne Marnay Martailly-lès-Brancion Martigny-le-Comte Mary Massilly Massy Matour Mazille Melay Mellecey Ménetreuil Mercurey Mervans Messey-sur-Grosne Mesvres Milly-Lamartine Le Miroir Mont Montagny-lès-Buxy Montagny-près-Louhans Montagny-sur-Grosne Montbellet Montceau-les-Mines Montceaux-l'Étoile Montceaux-Ragny Montcenis Montchanin Montcony Montcoy Monthelon Montjay Mont-lès-Seurre Montmelard Montmort Montpont-en-Bresse Montret Mont-Saint-Vincent Morey Morlet Mornay Moroges La Motte-Saint-Jean Mouthier-en-Bresse Mussy-sous-Dun Nanton Navilly Neuvy-Grandchamp Nochize Ormes Oslon Oudry Ouroux-sous-le-Bois-Sainte-Marie Ouroux-sur-Saône Oyé Ozenay Ozolles Palinges Palleau Paray-le-Monial Paris-l'Hôpital Passy Péronne Perrecy-les-Forges Perreuil Perrigny-sur-Loire La Petite-Verrière Pierreclos Pierre-de-Bresse Le Planois Plottes Poisson Pontoux Pouilloux Pourlans Pressy-sous-Dondin Préty Prissé Prizy Pruzilly Le Puley La Racineuse Rancy Ratenelle Ratte Reclesne Remigny Rigny-sur-Arroux La Roche-Vineuse Romanèche-Thorins Romenay Rosey Le Rousset Roussillon-en-Morvan Royer Rully Sagy Saillenard Sailly Saint-Agnan Saint-Albain Saint-Ambreuil Saint-Amour-Bellevue Saint-André-en-Bresse Saint-André-le-Désert Saint-Aubin-en-Charollais Saint-Aubin-sur-Loire Saint-Berain-sous-Sanvignes Saint-Bérain-sur-Dheune Saint-Boil Saint-Bonnet-de-Cray Saint-Bonnet-de-Joux Saint-Bonnet-de-Vieille-Vigne Saint-Bonnet-en-Bresse Saint-Christophe-en-Bresse Saint-Christophe-en-Brionnais Saint-Clément-sur-Guye Saint-Cyr Saint-Denis-de-Vaux Saint-Désert Saint-Didier-en-Bresse Saint-Didier-en-Brionnais Saint-Didier-sur-Arroux Sainte-Cécile Sainte-Croix Saint-Edmond Sainte-Foy Sainte-Hélène Saint-Émiland Sainte-Radegonde Saint-Étienne-en-Bresse Saint-Eugène Saint-Eusèbe Saint-Firmin Saint-Forgeot Saint-Gengoux-de-Scissé Saint-Gengoux-le-National Saint-Germain-du-Bois Saint-Germain-du-Plain Saint-Germain-en-Brionnais Saint-Germain-lès-Buxy Saint-Gervais-en-Vallière Saint-Gervais-sur-Couches Saint-Gilles Saint-Huruge Saint-Igny-de-Roche Saint-Jean-de-Trézy Saint-Jean-de-Vaux Saint-Julien-de-Civry Saint-Julien-de-Jonzy Saint-Julien-sur-Dheune Saint-Laurent-d'Andenay Saint-Laurent-en-Brionnais Saint-Léger-du-Bois Saint-Léger-lès-Paray Saint-Léger-sous-Beuvray Saint-Léger-sous-la-Bussière Saint-Léger-sur-Dheune Saint-Loup-de-Varennes Saint-Loup-Géanges Saint-Marcel Saint-Marcelin-de-Cray Saint-Mard-de-Vaux Saint-Martin-Belle-Roche Saint-Martin-d'Auxy Saint-Martin-de-Commune Saint-Martin-de-Lixy Saint-Martin-de-Salencey Saint-Martin-du-Lac Saint-Martin-du-Mont Saint-Martin-du-Tartre Saint-Martin-en-Bresse Saint-Martin-en-Gâtinois Saint-Martin-la-Patrouille Saint-Martin-sous-Montaigu Saint-Maurice-de-Satonnay Saint-Maurice-des-Champs Saint-Maurice-en-Rivière Saint-Maurice-lès-Châteauneuf Saint-Maurice-lès-Couches Saint-Micaud Saint-Nizier-sur-Arroux Saint-Pierre-de-Varennes Saint-Pierre-le-Vieux Saint-Point Saint-Privé Saint-Prix Saint-Racho Saint-Rémy Saint-Romain-sous-Gourdon Saint-Romain-sous-Versigny Saint-Sernin-du-Bois Saint-Sernin-du-Plain Saint-Symphorien-d'Ancelles Saint-Symphorien-de-Marmagne Saint-Symphorien-des-Bois Saint-Usuge Saint-Vallerin Saint-Vallier Saint-Vérand Saint-Vincent-Bragny Saint-Vincent-des-Prés Saint-Vincent-en-Bresse Saint-Yan Saint-Ythaire Saisy La Salle Salornay-sur-Guye Sampigny-lès-Maranges Sancé Santilly Sanvignes-les-Mines Sarry Sassangy Sassenay Saules Saunières Savianges Savigny-en-Revermont Savigny-sur-Grosne Savigny-sur-Seille Semur-en-Brionnais Sennecey-le-Grand Senozan Sens-sur-Seille Sercy Serley Sermesse Serrières Serrigny-en-Bresse Sevrey Sigy-le-Châtel Simandre Simard Sivignon Sologny Solutré-Pouilly Sommant Sornay Suin Sully La Tagnière Taizé Tancon Le Tartre Tavernay Thil-sur-Arroux Thurey Tintry Torcy Torpes Toulon-sur-Arroux Tournus Toutenant Tramayes Trambly Trivy Tronchy La Truchère Uchizy Uchon Uxeau Vareilles Varenne-l'Arconce Varenne-Saint-Germain Varennes-le-Grand Varennes-lès-Mâcon Varennes-Saint-Sauveur Varennes-sous-Dun Vauban Vaudebarrier Vaux-en-Pré Vendenesse-lès-Charolles Vendenesse-sur-Arroux Verdun-sur-le-Doubs Vergisson Vérissey Verjux Verosvres Vers Versaugues Verzé Le Villars Villegaudin La Villeneuve Villeneuve-en-Montagne Vincelles Vindecy La Vineuse Vinzelles Viré Virey-le-Grand Viry Vitry-en-Charollais Vitry-lès-Cluny Vitry-sur-Loire Volesvres