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{{Short description|Prefecture of the Nièvre department, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France}}
{{about|the prefecture and commune|other uses|Nevers (disambiguation)}}
{{Expand French|date=September 2013|Nevers|topic=geo}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox French commune
|name                   = Nevers
|commune status         = [[Prefectures in France|Prefecture]] and [[Communes of France|commune]]
|image                  = Nevers-Pont sur la Loire-Cathédrale Saint Cyr et Sainte Julitte-20160502.jpg
|caption                = The city seen from the left bank of the [[Loire]] with [[Nevers Cathedral]] in the background
|image coat of arms     = Blason comte fr Nevers.svg
|arrondissement         = Nevers
|canton                 = [[Canton of Nevers-1|Nevers-1]], [[Canton of Nevers-2|2]], [[Canton of Nevers-3|3]] and [[Canton of Nevers-4|4]]
|INSEE                  = 58194
|postal code            = 58000
|mayor                  = Denis Thuriot<ref>{{cite web|title=Répertoire national des élus: les maires|url=https://www.data.gouv.fr/fr/datasets/r/2876a346-d50c-4911-934e-19ee07b0e503|publisher=data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises|date=13 September 2022|language=fr}}</ref>
|term                   = 2020&ndash;2026
|intercommunality       = [[Communauté d'agglomération de Nevers|CA Nevers]]
|coordinates            = {{Coord|46.9933|3.1572|type:city(32,000)_region:FR-58|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|elevation m            = 180
|elevation min m        = 167
|elevation max m        = 238
|area km2               = 17.33
|population             = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_total}}
|population date        = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_as_of}}
|population footnotes   = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_footnotes}}
|demonym=''Neversois'' (masculine)<br>''Neversoise'' (feminine)
}}

'''Nevers''' ({{IPAc-en|n|ə|ˈ|v|ɛər}} {{respell|nə|VAIR}}, {{IPA|fr|nəvɛʁ|lang|Fr-Paris--Nevers.ogg}}; {{langx|la|Noviodunum}}, later ''Nevirnum'' and ''Nebirnum'') is a city and the [[Prefectures in France|prefecture]] of the [[Nièvre]] [[Departments of France|department]] in the [[Bourgogne-Franche-Comté]] [[Regions of France|region]] in central France. It was the principal city of the former [[provinces of France|province]] of [[Nivernais]]. It is {{convert|260|km|mi|abbr=on}} south-southeast of [[Paris]].

==History==
Nevers first enters written history as '''Noviodunum''', a town held by the [[Aedui]] at [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] contact. The quantities of medals and other Roman antiquities found on the site indicate the importance of the place,<ref name=EB1911>{{EB1911 |wstitle=Nevers |volume=19 |pages=456–457 |inline=1}}</ref> and in 52 BCE, [[Julius Caesar]] made Noviodunum, which he describes as in a convenient position on the banks of the [[Loire]], a depot (''B. G.'' vii. 55). There, he had his hostages, corn and military chest, with the money in it allowed him from home for the war, his own and his army's baggage and a great number of horses which had been bought for him in Spain and Italy.

After his failure before [[Gergovia]], the Aedui at Noviodunum massacred those who were there to look after stores, the negotiators and the travellers who were in the place. They divided the money and the horses among themselves, carried off in boats all the corn that they could and burned the rest or threw it into the river.

Thinking they could not hold the town, they burned it. That was a great loss to Caesar, and it may seem that he was imprudent in leaving such great stores in the power of treacherous allies. However, he was in straits that year, and probably he could not have done other than he did.

[[Dio Cassius]] (xl. 38) tells the story of Caesar out of the affair of Noviodunum. He states incorrectly what Caesar did on the occasion, and he shows that he neither understood his original nor knew what he was writing about.

The city was later called '''Nevirnum''', as the name appears in the [[Antonine Itinerary]]. In the [[Tabula Peutingeriana]], it is corrupted into '''Ebrinum'''. In still other sources the name appears as '''Nebirnum''' or '''Nivernum'''.

It became the seat of a bishopric at the end of the 5th century. The [[County of Nevers|county]] dates at least from the beginning of the 10th century. The citizens of Nevers obtained charters in 1194 and 1231. For a short time in the 14th century the town was the seat of a university, transferred from [[Orléans]], to which it was restored.<ref name=EB1911/>

In 1565, the town became the seat of a branch of the [[Gonzaga family]], who in 1627 succeeded to the [[Duchy of Mantua]]. This line of the Gonzaga Dukes of Nevers itself died out in 1708.

==Geography==

Nevers is situated on the slope of a hill on the right bank of the river [[Loire]].<ref name=EB1911/>

==Climate==
Nevers has an [[oceanic climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] ''Cfb'') in spite of being far inland. In spite of moderate averages, temperatures are highly variable depending on weather patterns, with a temperature amplitude of {{convert|64.4|C-change}} for its records since 1946.<ref name=Météo/> While summer nights frequently fall into the single digits, every month between April and October has reached {{convert|30|C|F}} during the afternoon at some point.<ref name=Météo/>

<div style="width:82%;">
{{Weather box
|location = Nevers (1991–2020 averages), extremes since 1946
|metric first = Y
|single line = Y
|Jan record high C = 17.2
|Feb record high C = 23.5
|Mar record high C = 26.7
|Apr record high C = 30.0
|May record high C = 31.6
|Jun record high C = 39.0
|Jul record high C = 39.4
|Aug record high C = 39.2
|Sep record high C = 35.1
|Oct record high C = 31.5
|Nov record high C = 23.5
|Dec record high C = 19.5
|year record high C = 39.2
|Jan high C = 7.3
|Feb high C = 8.8
|Mar high C = 13.2
|Apr high C = 16.4
|May high C = 20.1
|Jun high C = 23.8
|Jul high C = 26.0
|Aug high C = 26.1
|Sep high C = 21.9
|Oct high C = 17.1
|Nov high C = 11.1
|Dec high C = 7.8
|year high C = 
|Jan mean C = 3.9
|Feb mean C = 4.5
|Mar mean C = 7.6
|Apr mean C = 10.3
|May mean C = 14.0
|Jun mean C = 17.6
|Jul mean C = 19.6
|Aug mean C = 19.4
|Sep mean C = 15.5
|Oct mean C = 12.1
|Nov mean C = 7.3
|Dec mean C = 4.5
|year mean C = 
|Jan low C = 0.6
|Feb low C = 0.2
|Mar low C = 2.0
|Apr low C = 4.2
|May low C = 8.0
|Jun low C = 11.4
|Jul low C = 13.1
|Aug low C = 12.7
|Sep low C = 9.1
|Oct low C = 7.1
|Nov low C = 3.4
|Dec low C = 1.2
|year low C = 
|Jan record low C = -25.0
|Feb record low C = -21.8
|Mar record low C = -13.8
|Apr record low C = -7.5
|May record low C = -4.8
|Jun record low C = 0.2
|Jul record low C = 3.4
|Aug record low C = 0.3
|Sep record low C = -1.2
|Oct record low C = -8.9
|Nov record low C = -12.3
|Dec record low C = -16.8
|year record low C = -21.8
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 63.0
|Feb precipitation mm = 55.2
|Mar precipitation mm = 52.6
|Apr precipitation mm = 68.8
|May precipitation mm = 73.2
|Jun precipitation mm = 61.8
|Jul precipitation mm = 58.1
|Aug precipitation mm = 61.7
|Sep precipitation mm = 63.5
|Oct precipitation mm = 74.4
|Nov precipitation mm = 75.4
|Dec precipitation mm = 75.8
|year precipitation mm = 
|Jan precipitation days = 12.2
|Feb precipitation days = 10.1
|Mar precipitation days = 9.8
|Apr precipitation days = 10.5
|May precipitation days = 10.7
|Jun precipitation days = 8.9
|Jul precipitation days = 8.8
|Aug precipitation days = 8.1
|Sep precipitation days = 8.2
|Oct precipitation days = 10.9
|Nov precipitation days = 11.9
|Dec precipitation days = 12.2
|year precipitation days = 
|Jan humidity = 87
|Feb humidity = 82
|Mar humidity = 78
|Apr humidity = 74
|May humidity = 77
|Jun humidity = 76
|Jul humidity = 74
|Aug humidity = 77
|Sep humidity = 80
|Oct humidity = 85
|Nov humidity = 87
|Dec humidity = 87
|year humidity = 80.3
|Jan sun = 63
|Feb sun = 91
|Mar sun = 154
|Apr sun = 181
|May sun = 205
|Jun sun = 226
|Jul sun = 245
|Aug sun = 236
|Sep sun = 189
|Oct sun = 123
|Nov sun = 72
|Dec sun = 59
|year sun = 
|source 1= Météo France<ref name= Météo>{{cite web
| url = https://donneespubliques.meteofrance.fr/FichesClim/FICHECLIM_58160001.pdf
| title = Données climatiques de la station de Nevers
| publisher = Meteo France
| language = fr
| access-date = 20 September 2023}}</ref>
|source 2 = Infoclimat.fr (humidity, 1961–1990)<ref name=Infoclimat>{{cite web
| url = http://www.infoclimat.fr/climatologie-07260-nevers-marzy.html
| title = Normes et records 1961-1990: Nevers-Marzy (58) - altitude 175m
| language = fr
| publisher = Infoclimat
| access-date = 30 December 2015}}</ref>
}}
</div>

==Main sights==<!--PLEASE LEAVE THIS TITLE. THERE's AN ATTEMPT TO STANDARDISE ON IT-->
[[File:F06.Nevers.Palais Ducal.1161.JPG|thumb|left|250px|The [[Palais ducal de Nevers|Ducal Palace of Nevers]], in France]]
[[File:Saint Bernadette's incorrupt body.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The incorrupt body of [[Bernadette Soubirous|Saint Bernadette]], seer of [[Our Lady of Lourdes]] apparitions]]
Narrow winding streets lead from the quay through the town where there are numerous old houses dating from the 14th to the 17th century.<ref name=EB1911/>

Among the ecclesiastical buildings the most important is the [[Cathédrale Saint-Cyr-et-Sainte-Julitte de Nevers|Cathédrale of Saint Cyr-Sainte Julitte]], dedicated to [[Saint Quiricus and Saint Julietta]], which is a combination of two buildings, and possesses two [[apse]]s. The apse and transept at the west end are the remains of a [[Romanesque architecture|Romanesque]] church, while the nave and eastern apse are in the [[Gothic architecture|Gothic style]] and belong to the 14th century. There is no transept at the eastern end. The lateral portal on the south side belongs to the late 15th century; the massive and elaborately decorated tower which rises beside it dates to the early 16th century.<ref name=EB1911/>

The church of ''Saint Étienne'' is a specimen of the Romanesque style of [[Auvergne (province)|Auvergne]] of which the disposition of the apse with its three radiating chapels is characteristic. It was consecrated at the close of the 9th century, and belonged to a priory affiliated to [[Cluny]].<ref name=EB1911/>

The [[Palais ducal de Nevers|Ducal Palace]] (now occupied by the courts of justice and an important ceramic museum) was built in the 15th and 16th centuries and is one of the principal feudal edifices in central France. The façade is flanked at each end by a [[Turret (architecture)|turret]] and a round tower. A middle tower containing the great staircase has its windows adorned by sculptures relating to the history of the [[House of La Marck]] by the members of which the greater part of the palace was built.<ref name=EB1911/>

Behind the palace lies an open space with a fine view over the [[Loire Valley]]. The Porte du Croux, a square tower, with corner turrets, dating from the end of the 14th century, is among the remnants of the old fortifications; it now contains a collection of sculptures and Roman antiquities.<ref name=EB1911/>

A [[triumphal arch]] from the 18th century, commemorating the victory of [[Battle of Fontenoy (1745)|Fontenoy]] and the hôtel de ville, a 19th-century building which contains the library, are of some interest.<ref>{{Base Mérimée|PA00125321|Hôtel de ville}}</ref> The Loire is crossed by a modern stone bridge, and by an iron railway bridge.<ref name=EB1911/>

At the [[Espace Bernadette Soubirous Nevers|Chapel of Saint Bernadette]] at the mother house of the [[Sisters of Charity of Nevers]], it is possible to view the incorrupt body of [[Bernadette Soubirous|Saint Bernadette Soubirous]], the famous seer of [[Our Lady of Lourdes]] apparitions, which are presented in a gold and crystal reliquary.

==Economy==
Nevers is the seat of a [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Nevers|bishopric]], of tribunals of first instance and of commerce and of a [[cour d'assises]] and has a [[chamber of commerce]] and a branch of the [[Bank of France]]. Its educational institutions include several lycées, a training college for female teachers, ecclesiastical seminaries, a school of art (Esaab)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ésaab {{!}} nevers.fr |url=https://www.nevers.fr/vivre-a-nevers/enfance-et-jeunesse/enseignement-superieur/esaab |access-date=2023-07-07 |website=www.nevers.fr |language=fr}}</ref> and an automotive and transports engineering school ([[Institut supérieur de l'automobile et des transports]]) being part of the [[University of Burgundy]]. The town manufactures porcelain, agricultural implements, chemical manures, glue, boilers and iron goods, boots and shoes and fur garments, and has distilleries, tanneries and dye works. Its trade is in iron and steel, wood, wine, grain, [[livestock]], etc. [[hydraulic lime]], [[kaolin]] and clay for the manufacture of faience are worked in the vicinity.<ref name=EB1911/>

The [[Rossignol Skis ]] Group produces 89% of its Look Brand alpine ski bindings in Nevers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rossignol |date=nd |title=Respectful production |url=https://www.grouperossignol.com/en/respect-fabrication/ |access-date=2024-09-04 |website=Rossignol Group |language=en-US}}</ref>
===Transport===
[[Nevers station|Nevers railway station]] offers connections to [[Paris]], [[Dijon]], [[Lyon]], [[Clermont-Ferrand]] and several regional destinations. The [[A77 autoroute|A77]] motorway connects Nevers with Paris.

==Population==

{{Historical populations
| align = none
| cols = 2
| percentages = pagr
| source = EHESS<ref name=ehess>{{Cassini-Ehess|24962|Nevers}}</ref> and INSEE (1968–2017)<ref name=pophist>[https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/4515315?geo=COM-58194#ancre-POP_T1 Population en historique depuis 1968], INSEE</ref>
| graph-pos = bottom
|1793 |11846
|1800 |11200
|1806 |12077
|1821 |12280
|1831 |15085
|1836 |16967
|1841 |15007
|1846 |16721
|1851 |17045
|1856 |18182
|1861 |18971
|1866 |20700
|1872 |22276
|1876 |22704
|1881 |23846
|1886 |25006
|1891 |26436
|1896 |27108
|1901 |27673
|1906 |27030
|1911 |27706
|1921 |29754
|1926 |29306
|1931 |31879
|1936 |33699
|1946 |34036
|1954 |35183
|1962 |39085
|1968 |42422
|1975 |45480
|1982 |43013
|1990 |41968
|1999 |40932
|2007 |38007
|2012 |35327
|2017 |32990
}}

==Notable people==
* [[Marie Louise Gonzaga]], Queen of Poland, born in Nevers in 1611
* [[Marie Casimire Louise de La Grange d'Arquien]], Queen of Poland, born in Nevers in 1641
* [[Pierre Gaspard Chaumette]], revolutionary, born in Nevers in 1763
* [[Bernadette Soubirous]], better known as ''Saint Bernadette of Lourdes'', died in Nevers in 1879 (aged 35).
* [[Anne Boutiaut Poulard|Anne Boutiaut]], born in Nevers in 1851 and later known as [[La Mère Poulard]] in [[Mont St-Michel]]
* [[Michel Vieuchange]], Saharan explorer, adventurer and writer, born in Nevers in 1904, where there is a street named after him
* [[Jean Vieuchange]], editor of Michel Vieuchange's travel notebooks, born in Nevers in 1906
* [[Pierre Bérégovoy]], former [[Prime Minister of France]], committed suicide in 1993 in Nevers
* [[Parfait Mandanda]], footballer, born in Nevers in 1989
*[[Valérie Beauvais]], politician, born in Nevers in 1963
* [[Alexandre Oukidja]], Algerian professional footballer, born in Nevers in 1988
* [[Roselyne Bachelot]], [[Politics of France|French politician]] and former [[Ministry of Culture (France)|Minister of Culture]], born in Nevers in 1946
* [[Guy Savoy]], French chef, born in Nevers in 1953
* [[Da Silva (singer)|Da Silva]], singer-songwriter, born in Nevers in 1976

==Culture==
{{Unreferenced section|date=December 2010}}

Nevers has been known for several centuries for its [[Nevers faience]].

The [[List of Formula One circuits|Formula One circuit]] of [[Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours|Magny-Cours]] is located near Nevers, as well as the museum [[Conservatoire de la monoplace française]].

The anonymous French woman (played by [[Emmanuelle Riva]]) who is the main character in the film ''[[Hiroshima mon amour]]'' by [[Alain Resnais]] is from Nevers, and the film features many flashbacks to her youth there during World War II. In the final scene of the film, her [[Japan]]ese lover tells her "You are Nevers". There is a lot of play on the English translation of the town's name throughout the film, with dialogue such as ''"Nevers ?  Jamais !"'' ("Nevers? Never!")

Most of the scenes in the film ''[[Rosalie Blum]]'' were filmed in Nevers between March and April 2015, with the exception of the end scenes, which were filmed at [[Leffrinckoucke]] in the [[Nord (French department)|Nord]].

Nevers is also the setting of most of the second half of [[Éric Rohmer]]'s 1992 film, ''[[Conte d'Hiver]]''.

==International relations==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in France}}

Nevers is [[Twin towns and sister cities|twinned]] with:<ref>{{cite web |title=Les villes jumelées|url=https://www.nevers.fr/decouvrir-nevers/jumelages/les-villes-jumelees|website=nevers.fr|publisher=Nevers|language=fr|access-date=2019-11-16}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
*{{flagicon|GER}} [[Koblenz]], Germany
*{{flagicon|HUN}} [[Erzsébetváros|Erzsébetváros (Budapest)]], Hungary
*{{flagicon|ITA}} [[Mantua]], Italy
*{{flagicon|UK}} [[St Albans]], England, United Kingdom
*{{flagicon|SWE}} [[Lund Municipality|Lund]], Sweden
*{{flagicon|GRC}} [[Stavroupoli]], Greece
<!--Siedlce - twinning ended-->
*{{flagicon|ROU}} [[Curtea de Argeș]], Romania
*{{flagicon|CHN}} [[Taizhou, Zhejiang|Taizhou]], China
*{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Charleville-Mézières]], France
*{{flagicon|TUN}} [[Hammamet, Tunisia|Hammamet]], Tunisia
*{{flagicon|GER}} [[Neubrandenburg]], Germany
{{div col end}}

==See also==
* [[Wine barrels]]
* [[Communes of the Nièvre department]]

==References==
* {{SmithDGRG|title=Noviodunum}}
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Nevers}}
* [http://www.ville-nevers.fr/ Official website]
* {{Cite AmCyc|wstitle=Nevers|short=x}}
* {{Cite NIE|wstitle=Nevers|short=x}}
* [http://www.bourgogneromane.com/edifices/nevers.htm Nevers page on the site Bourgogne Romane]

{{Préfectures of départements of France}}
{{Nièvre communes}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Nevers| ]]
[[Category:Communes of Nièvre]]
[[Category:Prefectures in France]]
[[Category:Aedui]]
[[Category:Nivernais]]
[[Category:Nièvre communes articles needing translation from French Wikipedia]]