Nevers is a commune in central France, located in the Nièvre
department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region. It has 32,990
inhabitants, its agglomeration 65,547 inhabitants (2017 census) and
its urban area 98,102 inhabitants.
Nevers is the capital of
the department of Nièvre and the fifth largest city in Burgundy,
after Dijon, Châlon-sur-Saône, Auxerre and Mâcon.
Capital of
the province of Nivernais under the Ancien Régime, it was designated
as the prefecture of the department of Nièvre during the territorial
reorganization of 1790. Its inhabitants were called “Nivernais et
Nivernaises”, according to Larousse.
With a remarkable
historical heritage, an important medieval heritage (Saint-Étienne
church, Saint-Cyr-et-Sainte-Julitte cathedral), Renaissance (ducal
palace) or contemporary (Sainte-Bernadette church in Banlay), the
town is affiliated to the national network of towns of art and
history.
Antiquity
It is not certain that the stronghold
Noviodunum Aeduorum cited by Caesar, stronghold of the Aedui, was
Nevers. Neuvy-sur-Loire is often cited on this subject, 80 km away,
also in the Nièvre. We also speak of Nevirnum or even of Nebernum.
The name comes from that of the Nièvre river (Nivara, Nevara).
Nevertheless, we note the presence of Gallo-Roman remains under
the ducal palace.
This city was evangelized in the third
century, then became the seat of the bishopric in the sixth century.
Middle Ages
Capital of the hereditary county of Nevers in
992, the city was strengthened under the influence of Pierre II de
Courtenay in 1194. The city belonged successively to the families of
Courtenay, Bourbon, to the houses of Flanders,
Burgundy-Franche-Comté, Cleves and Gonzaga. The Abbey of
Saint-Martin d'Autun, in 1347 had a few walls and places of houses
in the rue de la Parcheminerie, which it leased.
The city was
then fortified, an important part of the ramparts still remains,
including the Porte du Croux, a fine example of military
architecture intended to assert urban power. It brings together the
concept of a gate tower placed in front of the wall in order to
better defend it and the symbol of the master tower rising up
against the intruder and controlling visitors. In addition to
traditional features such as corner watchtowers and machicolations,
it includes more modern innovations such as the separation of
pedestrian and cart access as well as a drawbridge with spire. To
cope with the progress of artillery, the Porte du Croux has a front
door offset from the main door.
Modern era
The county was
transformed into a duchy in 1538 and bought by Jules Mazarin for his
nephew Philippe Mancini in 1659.
In anticipation of the
Estates General of 1789, Me Larenne - parish priest of Saint-Martin
de Nevers - was elected deputy of the clergy.
Contemporary
period
During the Second World War in July 1940 Nevers moved into
the occupied zone. A major Allied bombardment of Nevers took place
on July 16, 1944, killing 161 and partially destroying the
Saint-Cyr-et-Sainte-Julitte cathedral. The Germans finally left the
city on September 7, 1944.
In the 1970s, during the post-war
boom, Nevers was at the height of its economic development.
In 1983, the socialist Pierre Bérégovoy was elected mayor. During
his mandate, major projects were launched (motorway interchanges,
shopping centers), the city also benefiting from its national
influence.
After his death in 1993, it experienced a gradual
decline. Poorly served (motorway dead end and no TGV connection), it
is affected by a decline and an aging of its population, a fall in
prices per square meter, housing becoming unsanitary and the closure
of many shops, as in some number of medium-sized towns in France. At
the start of the 21st century, initiatives were launched to try to
halt this decline, for example the government project Action coeur
de ville in 2018.