Nestled inside it's 15th-century ramparts, Beaune was the seat of the Dukes of Burgundy until the 16th century. It offers a wealth of history, culture and magnificent architecture, most notably the world-famous hospices, with it's fabulous tiled roof. The Hotel-Dieu, with it's gothic facades, is today considered a jewel of Medieval architecture and the style proved so popular in Burgundy that it came to be typical of this province. The Duke of Burgundy endowed the hospice with an annual income, a saltworks and vines. The hospices now run 61 hectares of vineyards that it has inherited over the centuries and each year since 1859 have organized the most famous wine auction in the world.
