Dijon's history can be traced back to Roman times when it was called Castrum Divionense and lay on the road from Lyon to Mainz. The town was home to the Dukes of Burgundy from the 11th to the 15th century, a center of immense wealth and power, as well as of learning and art.

Dijon is among the towns with the best preserved traditional architecture. It was spared the destruction of war, and now boasts 97 hectares of national listed monuments. A distinguishing feature of the region's architecture are the roofs made of glazed tiles in different colours arranged in geometric patterns. Stately 17th- and 18th-century mansions line the streets. Some houses have exposed timber frames.

The Ducal Palace recalls the splendour of the Burgundian court. Many famous architects contributed to its construction spanning the period from 1366 to 1786, including Jules Hardouin-Mansart.  The palace houses the dukes' tombs and an art museum with a collection ranging from ancient Egyptian art to the 20th century, 15th-century Burgundian art, works by Swiss, Flemish and German primitivists, and two sculpted Gothic altarpieces. Objects related to the Golden Fleece Order created by Philippe le Bon in the 15th century can be seen in the Salle du Chapitre.

Dijon's Cathedral is dedicated to the town's patron saint, St. Benignus. He was a priest sent to preach the Gospel in Gaul in the 3rd Century. He suffered persecution and martyrdom, and was buried at Dijon. In the early 6th Century, Bishop Saint Gregory had his tomb restored, and built a basilica over it. The sarcophagus of St. Benignus can still be seen in the cathedral's crypt. The cathedral is a masterpiece of Burgundian architecture designed by master Gugliemo de Volpiano of Piedmont. Its bell tower is 93 metres high and is the most spectacular of the numerous bell towers in Dijon (they say their number is about a hundred!).