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{{Short description|Commune in Centre-Val de Loire, France}}
{{Distinguish|Bruges}}
{{other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox French commune
|name                   = Bourges
|native name            = ''Borges'' ([[Berrichon]])
|commune status         = [[Prefectures of France|Prefecture]] and [[Communes of France|commune]]
|image                  = {{multiple image
|perrow = 1/2/
|border = infobox
|total_width = 280
|image1 = Bourges.JPG
|caption1 = View of Bourges
|image2 = Kathedrale Bourges v2.jpg
|caption2 = [[Bourges Cathedral]]
|image3 = Bourges-Palais Jacques Coeur-112-2008-gje.jpg
|caption3 = [[Palais Jacques Coeur]]
}}
|image flag             = Flag of Bourges.svg
|image coat of arms     = Blason de Bourges.svg
|arrondissement         = Bourges
|canton                 =
|INSEE                  = 18033
|postal code            = 18000
|demonym                = Berruyers
|mayor                  = [[Yann Galut]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Répertoire national des élus: les maires|url=https://www.data.gouv.fr/fr/datasets/r/2876a346-d50c-4911-934e-19ee07b0e503|website=data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises|date=2 December 2020|language=fr}}</ref>
|term                   = 2020&ndash;2026
|intercommunality       = [[Communauté d'agglomération Bourges Plus|CA Bourges Plus]]
|coordinates            = {{coord|47.0844|2.3964|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|elevation m            = 153
|elevation min m        = 120
|elevation max m        = 169
|area km2               = 68.74
|population             = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_total}}
|population date        = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_as_of}}
|population footnotes   = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_footnotes}}
|website                = http://www.ville-bourges.fr/_en/site/introduction}}

'''Bourges''' ({{IPAc-en|b|ʊər|ʒ}} {{respell|BOORZH}}; {{IPA|fr|buʁʒ|lang|LL-Q150 (fra)-Jules78120-Bourges.wav}}; ''Borges'' in [[Berrichon]]) is a commune in central [[France]] on the river [[Yèvre (Cher)|Yèvre]]. It is the capital of the [[Departments of France|department]] of [[Cher (department)|Cher]], and also was the capital city of the former [[provinces of France|province]] of [[Berry (province)|Berry]]. It is part of the [[Centre-Val de Loire]] region of France.

==History==
{{see also|Timeline of Bourges}}
The name of the commune derives either from the [[Bituriges Cubi|Bituriges]], the name of the original inhabitants, or from the [[Germanic languages|Germanic]] word ''[[wikt:burg|Burg]]'' (French: ''bourg''; Spanish: ''burgo''; English, others: ''[[burgh]]'', ''[[wikt:berg|berg]]'', or ''[[borough]]''), for "hill" or "village". The [[Celt]]s called it ''Avaricon''; [[Latin]]-speakers: ''[[Avaricum]]''. In the fourth century BC, as in the time of [[Julius Caesar|Caesar]], the area around it was the center of a Gallic (Celtic) confederacy.

In 52 BC, the sixth year of the [[Gallic Wars]], while the [[Gaul]]s implemented a [[scorched-earth]] policy to try to deny Caesar's forces supplies, the inhabitants of Avaricum convinced the council not to have their town burned.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/siege_avaricum.html|title=Siege of Avaricum, 52 BC|publisher=historyofwar.org|access-date=24 June 2024}}</ref> It was temporarily spared due to its good defences provided by the surrounding marshes, by a river that nearly encircled it, and by a strong southern wall. Julius Caesar's forces, nevertheless, captured and destroyed the town, killing all but 800 of its inhabitants.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Holmes |first=Robert C. L. |date=2021-01-16 |title=The Gallic Wars: How Julius Caesar Conquered Gaul (Modern France) |url=https://www.thecollector.com/gallic-wars-how-julius-caesar-conquered-gaul/ |access-date=2023-03-01 |website=The Collector |language=en}}</ref>

Rome reconstructed Avaricum as a Roman town, with a monumental gate, [[Roman aqueduct|aqueducts]], ''[[thermae]]'' and an amphitheatre; it reached a greater size than it would attain during the Middle Ages. The massive walls surrounding the late-Roman town, enclosing 40 hectares, were built in part with stone re-used from earlier public buildings.

The third-century AD [[Ursinus of Bourges|Saint Ursinus]], also known as Saint Ursin, is considered{{by whom|date= November 2013}} the first bishop of the town. Bourges functions as the seat of an [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bourges|archbishopric]]. During the 8th century Bourges lay on the northern fringes of the [[Duchy of Aquitaine]] and was therefore the first town to come under Frankish attacks when the [[Franks]] crossed the Loire. The Frankish [[Charles Martel]] captured the town in 731, but Duke [[Odo the Great]] of Aquitaine immediately re-took it. It remained under the rule of counts who pledged allegiance to the Aquitanian dukes up to the destructive [[Siege of Bourges (762)|siege]] by the Frankish King [[Pepin the Short]] in 762, when [[Duchy of Vasconia|Basque]] troops are found defending the town along with its count.

[[File:Plan de la cathedrale Bourges 1820 Archives nationales France.jpg|thumb|center| Bourges in 1820]]
During the [[Middle Ages]], Bourges served as the capital of the [[Viscount]]y of Bourges until 1101. In the fourteenth century, it became the capital of the [[Duchy of Berry]] (established in 1360). The future king of France, [[Charles VII of France|Charles VII]] ({{reign | 1422 | 1461}}), sought refuge there in the 1420s during the [[Hundred Years' War (1415–1453)|Hundred Years' War]]. His son, [[Louis XI]], was born there in 1423. In 1438, Charles VII decreed the [[Pragmatic Sanction of Bourges]]. During this period, Bourges was a major centre of [[alchemy]].{{citation needed|date= November 2013}} In 1487, a third of Bourges was destroyed by fire, after which the economic decline of the city started.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bourges history |url=https://www.ville-bourges.fr/_en/site/introduction_bourges-history |publisher=City of Bourges}}</ref> 

The [[Gothic architecture|Gothic]] [[Bourges Cathedral|Cathedral of Saint Étienne]], begun at the end of the twelfth century, ranks as a [[World Heritage Site]]. It is one of the earliest examples of the [[High Gothic]] style of the thirteenth century.<ref name="destination 360">
[http://www.destination360.com/europe/france/bourges] Destination 360 (Accessed 7 October 2016) Cathedral one of the earliest examples of High Gothic.
</ref>

Bourges has a long tradition of art and history. Apart from the cathedral, other sites of importance include the 15th-century [[Palais Jacques Cœur]] and a sixty-five-hectare district of half-timbered houses and fine [[Townhouse (Great Britain)|town-houses]].

Bourges became an important center of artillery production from the 1860s, when Napoleon III decided to relocate the École de pyrotechnie militaire, at the time located in Metz, far away from the Prussian border.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://pop.culture.gouv.fr/notice/merimee/IA18000537 | website=Plateforme ouverte de patrimoine |publisher=Ministère de la culture |title=Ecole militaire de pyrotechnie, puis usine de produits explosifs (usine de munitions), actuellement usine d'armes Giat Industries |last=Lorieux |first=Clarisse |date=2020-05-13 |lang=fr}}</ref>

==Population==

{{Historical populations
| align = none
| cols = 2
| percentages = pagr
| source = EHESS<ref name=ehess>{{Cassini-Ehess|5289|Bourges}}</ref> and INSEE (1968–2023)<ref name=pophist>[https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/8643952?geo=COM-18033#tableau-POPREF_G1 Population municipale entre 1968 et 2023], INSEE</ref>
| graph-pos = bottom
|1793 |15964
|1800 |16330
|1806 |17552
|1821 |18910
|1831 |19730
|1836 |25324
|1841 |22826
|1846 |24799
|1851 |25037
|1856 |26799
|1861 |28064
|1866 |30119
|1872 |31312
|1876 |35785
|1881 |40217
|1886 |42829
|1891 |45342
|1896 |43587
|1901 |46551
|1906 |44133
|1911 |45735
|1921 |45942
|1926 |44245
|1931 |45067
|1936 |49263
|1946 |51040
|1954 |53879
|1962 |60632
|1968 |70814
|1975 |77300
|1982 |76432
|1990 |75609
|1999 |72480
|2007 |71155
|2012 |66666
|2017 |64551
|2023 |64186
}}

==Geography==
Bourges sits at the river junction where the [[Auron (river)|Auron]] flows into the [[Yèvre (Cher)|Yèvre]]. The disused [[Canal de Berry]] follows alongside the course of the Auron through Bourges.

===Climate===

Bourges, located in the center of [[France]], away from the [[Atlantic Ocean]], features a typical [[oceanic climate|''degraded oceanic climate'']] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: ''Cfb''), characterized by colder, drier winters and warmer, wetter summers than the oceanic climate.  

{{Weather box|width=auto
|metric first=y
|single line=y 
|collapsed = Y
|location = Bourges (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1945–present)
|Jan record high C = 17.6
|Feb record high C = 22.8
|Mar record high C = 29.4
|Apr record high C = 29.4
|May record high C = 32.1
|Jun record high C = 39.5
|Jul record high C = 41.7
|Aug record high C = 39.9
|Sep record high C = 36.4
|Oct record high C = 31.9
|Nov record high C = 23.4
|Dec record high C = 20.0
|year record high C = 41.7
|Jan record low C = -20.4
|Feb record low C = -16.4
|Mar record low C = -11.3
|Apr record low C = -3.8
|May record low C = -2.6
|Jun record low C = 3.4
|Jul record low C = 4.6
|Aug record low C = 4.6
|Sep record low C = 1.8
|Oct record low C = -5.0
|Nov record low C = -9.1
|Dec record low C = -14.0
|year record low C = -20.4
|Jan high C = 7.4
|Feb high C = 8.9
|Mar high C = 13.1
|Apr high C = 16.3
|May high C = 20.1
|Jun high C = 23.8
|Jul high C = 26.2
|Aug high C = 26.2
|Sep high C = 22.1
|Oct high C = 17.2
|Nov high C = 11.2
|Dec high C = 7.9
| year high C = 16.7
|Jan mean C = 4.5
|Feb mean C = 5.1
|Mar mean C = 8.4
|Apr mean C = 11.1
|May mean C = 14.8
|Jun mean C = 18.4
|Jul mean C = 20.5
|Aug mean C = 20.5
|Sep mean C = 16.7
|Oct mean C = 12.9
|Nov mean C = 7.9
|Dec mean C = 5.0
| year mean C = 12.1
|Jan low C = 1.6
|Feb low C = 1.4
|Mar low C = 3.7
|Apr low C = 5.8
|May low C = 9.5
|Jun low C = 13.0
|Jul low C = 14.8
|Aug low C = 14.7
|Sep low C = 11.3
|Oct low C = 8.5
|Nov low C = 4.6
|Dec low C = 2.2
| year low C = 7.6
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 58.0
|Feb precipitation mm = 51.0
|Mar precipitation mm = 52.8
|Apr precipitation mm = 62.0
|May precipitation mm = 75.9
|Jun precipitation mm = 58.4
|Jul precipitation mm = 63.5
|Aug precipitation mm = 53.5
|Sep precipitation mm = 56.7
|Oct precipitation mm = 74.2
|Nov precipitation mm = 69.3
|Dec precipitation mm = 67.4
|year precipitation mm = 742.7
|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
| Jan precipitation days = 11.5
| Feb precipitation days = 9.6
| Mar precipitation days = 9.6
| Apr precipitation days = 9.9
| May precipitation days = 10.7
| Jun precipitation days = 8.5
| Jul precipitation days = 8.0
| Aug precipitation days = 7.7
| Sep precipitation days = 7.9
| Oct precipitation days = 10.2
| Nov precipitation days = 11.6
| Dec precipitation days = 11.9
| year precipitation days =117.2
|Jan humidity = 87
|Feb humidity = 82
|Mar humidity = 76
|Apr humidity = 73
|May humidity = 76
|Jun humidity = 74
|Jul humidity = 69
|Aug humidity = 71
|Sep humidity = 75
|Oct humidity = 84
|Nov humidity = 87
|Dec humidity = 88
| Jan snow days  =3.9
| Feb snow days  =3.6
| Mar snow days  =2.5
| Apr snow days  =1.0
| May snow days  =.1
| Jun snow days  =0
| Jul snow days  =0
| Aug snow days  =0
| Sep snow days  =0
| Oct snow days  =0
| Nov snow days  =1.5
| Dec snow days  =2.7
|Jan sun = 65.5
|Feb sun = 93.5
|Mar sun = 155.9
|Apr sun = 185.6
|May sun = 215.6
|Jun sun = 227.4
|Jul sun = 248.6
|Aug sun = 239.8
|Sep sun = 194.0
|Oct sun = 127.0
|Nov sun = 76.6
|Dec sun = 59.5
|year sun = 1888.9
|source 1 = Meteociel<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://www.meteociel.fr/obs/clim/normales_records.php?code=18033001
|title=Normales et records pour Bourges (18)
|publisher=Meteociel
|access-date=21 November 2024}}</ref>
|source 2 = Infoclimat.fr (humidity and snow days (1961–1990)<ref name=Infoclimat>{{cite web
| url = http://www.infoclimat.fr/climatologie-07255-bourges.html
| title = Normes et records 1961-1990: Bourges (18) - altitude 161m
| language = fr
| publisher = Infoclimat
| access-date = 30 December 2015}}</ref>
}}

==Industry==
In 2025, one-sixth of the population worked in the defense industry, primarily in manufacturing arms.  Notable local employers include [[KNDS France]] and [[MBDA]].<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.lemonde.fr/economie/article/2025/04/20/bourges-bouleversee-par-le-rearmement-la-ville-est-redevenue-l-un-des-fers-de-lance-de-la-defense-francaise_6598009_3234.html |title=Bourges, bouleversée par le « réarmement » : « La ville est redevenue l'un des fers de lance de la défense française » |lang=fr |last=Bonnefous |first=Bastien |work=Le Monde |date=20 April 2025}}</ref>

==Sights==
[[File:Bourges place Gordaine 1.jpg|thumb|Half-timbered houses in Place Gordaine]]
[[File:Jacques Cœur's palace.jpg|thumb|[[Palais Jacques Cœur]]]]
[[File:BourgesMairie.JPG|thumb|The new [[Hôtel de Ville, Bourges|Hôtel de Ville]]]]
*Its [[Bourges Cathedral|Gothic cathedral]] (built 1195–1255) was added to the list of the [[World Heritage Sites]] by [[UNESCO]] in 1992
*[[Palais Jacques Cœur]]<ref>Jacques Cœur's palace, [http://www.bourges-tourisme.com/en/pages/palais-jacques-coeur-bourges/ visitor centre] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130421022526/http://www.bourges-tourisme.com/en/pages/palais-jacques-coeur-bourges/ |date=21 April 2013 }}</ref>
*Lallemant's [[Hôtel particulier|hotel]], from the early [[French Renaissance]]<ref>Lallemant's hotel, [http://www.bourges-tourisme.com/en/pages/hotel-lallemant-bourges/ visitor centre] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304230905/http://www.bourges-tourisme.com/en/pages/hotel-lallemant-bourges/ |date=4 March 2016 }}</ref>
*The [[Berry (province)|Berry]] museum, located in the [[Jacques Cujas|Cujas]]' hotel<ref>Berry museum, [http://www.bourges-tourisme.com/en/pages/musee-du-berry-bourges/ visitor center] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160507145051/http://www.bourges-tourisme.com/en/pages/musee-du-berry-bourges/ |date=7 May 2016 }}</ref>
*The [[Maurice Estève|Estève]] museum, located in the so-called aldermen's hotel<ref>Estève museum, [http://www.bourges-tourisme.com/en/pages/musee-esteve-bourges/ visitor centre] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305051146/http://www.bourges-tourisme.com/en/pages/musee-esteve-bourges/ |date=5 March 2016 }}</ref>
*The marshes of the [[Yèvre (Cher)|Yèvre]] and Voiselle rivers were listed in 2003 as a French Natural Monument or Site<ref>Bourges' marshes, [http://www.bourges-tourisme.com/en/pages/les-marais/ visitor centre]</ref>
*The ruins of the Gallo-Roman walls
*The [[Conservatoire national du Pélargonium]]
*The new [[Hôtel de Ville, Bourges|Hôtel de Ville]] completed in 1992.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ville-bourges.fr/site/patrimoine-tourisme_hotels-ville|title=Les Hôtels de Ville|publisher=City of Bourges|access-date=15 December 2024}}</ref>

===Events===
The ''[[Printemps de Bourges]]'' music festival takes place in Bourges every year.

Every summer, and since 2002, Les mille univers hosts a writing workshop in collaboration with [[Oulipo]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mille-univers.net/monSite.php?p=111|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130728120423/http://www.mille-univers.net/monSite.php?p=111|url-status=dead|archive-date=28 July 2013|title=Les récréations à Bourges.}}</ref>

Bourges was chosen as a European capital of culture for 2028.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.culture.gouv.fr/thematiques/europe-et-international/l-action-europeenne-et-internationale-du-ministere-de-la-culture/bourges-capitale-europeenne-de-la-culture-en-2028 |title=Bourges, capitale européenne de la Culture en 2028 |lang=fr |website=Ministère de la culture |access-date=21 April 2025}}</ref>

==Transport==

The [[Bourges station]] offers direct railway connections to [[Orléans]], [[Tours]], [[Lyon]], [[Paris]], [[Nantes]] and several regional destinations. The [[A71 autoroute|A71]] motorway connects Bourges with Orléans and [[Clermont-Ferrand]]. [[Bourges Airport]] is a small regional airport. The nearest major airports are [[Clermont-Ferrand Auvergne Airport]], located {{convert|185|km|0|abbr=on}} south and [[Lyon–Saint-Exupéry Airport]], located {{convert|319|km|0|abbr=on}} south east.

==Sport and recreation==
Bourges' principal football team was the now dissolved [[Bourges Football|Bourges Football 18]]. It is also home to the women's basketball club [[CJM Bourges Basket]], which has won multiple titles in domestic and European basketball. Bourges XV is a rugby team in the region, playing{{when|date=June 2025}} in French National Division, Federal 3.

==Colleges and universities==
* [[University of Bourges]]
* École des Beaux Arts
* École Nationale Supérieure d'Ingénieurs ENSI<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ensi-bourges.fr/|title=ENSI|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110805123520/http://www.ensi-bourges.fr/|archive-date=5 August 2011}}</ref>

==Twin towns – sister cities==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in France}}

Bourges is [[Twin towns and sister cities|twinned]] with:<ref>{{cite web |title=Villes jumelles|url=https://www.ville-bourges.fr/site/villes-jumelles|website=ville-bourges.fr|publisher=Bourges|language=fr|access-date=2019-11-12}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=16em|small=yes}}
*{{flagicon|GER}} [[Augsburg]], Germany
*{{flagicon|POR}} [[Aveiro, Portugal|Aveiro]], Portugal
*{{flagicon|ITA}} [[Forlì]], [[Italy]]
*{{flagicon|POL}} [[Koszalin]], Poland
*{{flagicon|ESP}} [[Palencia]], Spain
*{{flagicon|UK}} [[Peterborough]], United Kingdom
*{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Yoshkar-Ola]], Russia
*{{flagicon|UKR}} [[Korosten]], Ukraine
{{div col end}}

== Personalities ==
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* 16th-century poet and translator [[Pierre Motin]] was born in Bourges.
* 17th-century composer and singer [[François Bourgoing (singer)|François Bourgoing]] was born in Bourges.
* The merchant [[Jacques Cœur]] was born in Bourges.
* The manuscript illuminator [[Jean Colombe]] maintained a workshop in Bourges.
* [[John Calvin]] was a student in the [[University of Bourges]].
* The legal expert [[Jacques Cujas]] lived in Bourges during 1555-1557 and 1575–1590.
* [[Eustadiola]] (594–684) was a saint and abbess.
* The [[Impressionist]] painter [[Berthe Morisot]] was born in Bourges on 14 January 1841.
* The [[Art Nouveau]] sculptor [[Julien Caussé]] was born in Bourges in 1869.
* The philosopher [[Vladimir Jankélévitch]] (1903-1985) was born in Bourges.
* The writer and historian [[Jules Bertaut]] (1877–1959) was born in Bourges.
* [[Angèle Chevrin]] (1911–1998), communist politician
* [[Béatrice Vialle]], aviator.
* [[Emmanuel Imorou]], footballer.
* [[Émilienne Demougeot]] (1910–1994), historian, was born in Bourges.
* [[Marcel Bascoulard]] (1913-1978), artist, was born outside of Bourges and resided there for most of his life.
* The mother of fictional character Gabrielle Maple hailed from Bourges in [[The Petrified Forest]] (1936), endearingly mispronounced "Boorgs" by the actress playing the part, [[Bette Davis]].
* [[François Jacques (historian)|François Jacques]] (1946–1992), historian, was born in Bourges.
* [[Arnaud Courlet de Vregille]] (1958-), painter, was born in Bourges.
* Belle du Berry (born Bénédicte Grimault) (1966-2020) lead singer of Paris Combo
* [[Patrice Gay]] (1973-), racing driver
* [[Geoffroy Tory]] (1480-1533), printer who introduced accents into French, was born in Bourges.
{{div col end}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Cities|France}}
<!-- alphabetical order please [[WP:SEEALSO]] -->
<!-- please add a short description [[WP:SEEALSO]], via {{subst:AnnotatedListOfLinks}} or {{Annotated link}} -->
{{div col|colwidth=20em|small=yes}}
* {{Annotated link |Saint-Benoît-du-Sault}}
* {{Annotated link |Communes of the Cher department}}
{{div col end}}
<!-- alphabetical order please [[WP:SEEALSO]] -->

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
{{See also|Timeline of Bourges#Bibliography|l1=Bibliography of the history of Bourges}}

==External links==
{{EB1911 poster|Bourges}}
* {{Commonsinline}}
* {{Official|www.ville-bourges.fr/_en/site/introduction}}

{{Préfectures of départements of France}}
{{Cher communes}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Bourges| ]]
[[Category:Burial sites of the House of Albret]]
[[Category:Communes of Cher (department)]]
[[Category:Prefectures in France]]
[[Category:Berry, France]]
[[Category:Bituriges Cubi]]
[[Category:Gallia Aquitania]]