Besançon Cathedral & Astronomical Clock
Cathédrale Saint-Jean et horloge astronomique
The cathedral at the foot of the citadel. Its 19th-century astronomical clock is built from more than 30,000 parts and displays over a hundred astronomical and timekeeping indications.
Saint-Jean Cathedral was begun in the 11th-12th centuries and is unusual in having two apses, one at each end. Inside are an altarpiece by Fra Bartolomeo and a round table of white marble known as the 'Rose of Saint-Jean'. The astronomical clock beneath the bell tower was made by Auguste-Lucien Vérité between 1858 and 1860. It has 122 indications, and mechanical figures move at the hour. The clock can only be visited on a guided tour (admission about €4), and it is usually closed on Tuesdays and in January. The cathedral is free to enter, and next to it are the Porte Saint-Jean and Roman remains.
Opening hours
Church about 9:00am–7:00pm; astronomical clock tours run at separate times
Nearby sights
- Porte Noire & Square Castan
- Victor Hugo's Birthplace
- Cité des Arts et de la Culture
- Musée du Temps (Palais Granvelle)
- Citadel of Besançon
- Parc Micaud
- Doubs River Cruise
- Grande Rue & Old Town