The following is a

timeline A timeline is a list of events displayed in chronological order. It is typically a graphic design showing a long bar labelled with dates paralleling it, and usually contemporaneous events. Timelines can use any suitable scale representing t ...

of the

history History is the systematic study of the past, focusing primarily on the Human history, human past. As an academic discipline, it analyses and interprets evidence to construct narratives about what happened and explain why it happened. Some t ...

of the

city A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...

Benghazi Benghazi () () is the List of cities in Libya, second-most-populous city in Libya as well as the largest city in Cyrenaica, with an estimated population of 859,000 in 2023. Located on the Gulf of Sidra in the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean, Ben ...

Libya Libya, officially the State of Libya, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya border, the east, Sudan to Libya–Sudan border, the southeast, Chad to Chad–L ...

Prior to 20th century

* 7th century BCE -

Euesperides Libya's second largest city, Benghazi, has a history that dates back to the Greek colony of Euesperides founded in the 6th century BCE. Throughout its history, the city has been repeatedly conquered by different ancient and colonial forces. Anc ...

founded by Cyrenians near the site of present-day Benghazi. * 1517 CE -

Cyrenaica Cyrenaica ( ) or Kyrenaika (, , after the city of Cyrene), is the eastern region of Libya. Cyrenaica includes all of the eastern part of Libya between the 16th and 25th meridians east, including the Kufra District. The coastal region, als ...

becomes part of

Ottoman Tripolitania Ottoman Tripolitania, also known as the Regency of Tripoli, was officially ruled by the Ottoman Empire from 1551 to 1912. It corresponded roughly to the northern parts of modern-day Libya in historic Tripolitania and Cyrenaica. It was initially ...

. * 1577 - Atiq Mosque built. * 1816/1817 - occurs at the . * 1820 - Alhadadp

Mosque A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Salah, Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard. Originally, mosques were si ...

founded.^{( ar)} * 1827 - British consulate established. * 1858 - Plague outbreak. * 1869 - Administrative Benghazi mutessariflik (province) created. * 1874 - Plague outbreak. * 1895 ** built in

Al-Berka Al-Berka (Arabic:البركة) is a Basic People's Congress administrative division of Benghazi, Libya Libya, officially the State of Libya, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north ...

. ** Italian "Società d'Esplorazione Commerciale in Africa" active in Benghazi.

20th century

1900s-1940s

* 1906 - burns down. * 1911 ** 19 October: Town occupied by Italian forces during the

Italo-Turkish War The Italo-Turkish (, "Tripolitanian War", , "War of Libya"), also known as the Turco-Italian War, was fought between the Kingdom of Italy and the Ottoman Empire from 29 September 1911 to 18 October 1912. As a result of this conflict, Italy captur ...

. ** Population: 35,000. * 1913 - Albergo Italia (hotel) built. * 1914 - begins operating. * 1916 - built. * 1922 - Benghazi Lighthouse built. * 1924 -

City Hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or municipal hall (in the Philippines) is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses the city o ...

built. * 1926 - begins operating. * 1927 ** begins operating. ** Catholic

Apostolic Vicariate of Cyrenaica Apostolic may refer to: The Apostles An Apostle meaning one sent on a mission: *The Twelve Apostles of Jesus, or something related to them, such as the Church of the Holy Apostles *Apostolic succession, the doctrine connecting the Christian Churc ...

established. * 1928 - opens. * 1931 - September: Trial of

Omar Mukhtar ʿUmar al-Mukhtār Muḥammad bin Farḥāt al-Manifī (; 20 August 1858 – 16 September 1931), called The Lion of the Desert, known among the colonial Italians as Matari of the Mnifa, was a Libyan revolutionary and Imam who led the native res ...

, leading to his execution on 16 September in nearby

Suluq Suluq () is a town in the Benghazi District of the Cyrenaica region in northeastern Libya. It is located about 53 kilometers to the south-east of Benghazi. Italian Libya Suluq is the site of a former Italian concentration camp for the nomadic t ...

. * 1934 ** Pier built in the

Port of Benghazi The Port of Benghazi is a major seaport in the city of Benghazi, Libya, on the Mediterranean Sea coast within the Gulf of Sidra. History A natural seaport, it was founded as Euesperides by the ancient Greeks of Cyrenaica in the 6th century BC. Af ...

. ** Administrative Benghazi Province created. * 1936 - built. * 1937 - March: Mussolini visits Benghazi. * 1939 - Benghazi Cathedral built. * 1942 ** November: British forces take city during the

Battle of El Agheila The Battle of El Agheila was a brief engagement of the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. It took place in December 1942 between Allied forces of the Eighth Army (General Bernard Montgomery) and the Axis forces of the German-It ...

in World War II. ** Italian rule ends. ** Omar al-Mukhtar Society formed. * 1945 - Population: 60,000 (approximate). * 1947 -

Ahly Benghazi Al Ahly Sports Cultural and Social Club (), known as Al Ahly SCSC, is a Libyan sports club based in Benghazi. Al Ahly has its roots in a political party, the Omar al Mukhtar society. History Al-Ahly SC Libya was made a professional football c ...

football club active.

1950s-1990s

* 1952 ** Al-Hilal SC (sport club) formed. ** University of Oxford's

Ashmolean The Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology () on Beaumont Street in Oxford, England, is Britain's first public museum. Its first building was erected in 1678–1683 to house the cabinet of curiosities that Elias Ashmole gave to the University ...

Expedition to Cyrenaica begins its archaeological excavation of Euesperides site. * 1953 - City boundary established. * 1954 - Al Tahaddy SC (football club) formed. * 1955 -

University of Libya The University of Libya () was a public university based in Tripoli and Benghazi, Libya. The university was established in 1955 and disestablished in 1973, when its colleges were split into two new universities: the University of Tripoli (late ...

founded. * 1956 - Benghazi Zoo founded. * 1957 -

Benghazi Military University Academy Benghazi Military University Academy is a military academy in Benghazi in Libya. Alumni * Muammar Gaddafi – Libyan leader (1969–2011), Brotherly Leader and Guide of the Revolution * Khalifa Haftar – Field Marshal, commander of Libyan Nat ...

established. * 1964 - Population: 137,295. * 1967 -

Stadium A stadium (: stadiums or stadia) is a place or venue for (mostly) outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage completely or partially surrounded by a tiered structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit ...

and

Suliman Ad-Dharrath Arena Suliman Ad-Dharrath Arena is an indoor sporting arena located in Benghazi, Libya. It is used mainly for indoor sports such as volleyball and basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, o ...

open. * 1970s -

Giuliana Bridge Giuliana Bridge is a box girder / haunched girder bridge constructed from prestressed concrete in Benghazi, Libya Libya, officially the State of Libya, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to ...

opens. * 1973 **

University of Benghazi The University of Benghazi (), formerly known as Garyounis University, is a public university in Benghazi, Libya, the country's second-largest city as well as one of the most prestigious institutes of higher education in the country. It was fou ...

active. ** Population: 266,000. * 1980 - February: Protest at French consulate. * 1982 ** March: Part of

1982 African Cup of Nations The 1982 African Cup of Nations was the 13th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, the association football championship of African nations run by the CAF. It was hosted by Libya. Just like in 1980, there were eight teams, which were split into ...

football contest held in Benghazi. ** built. * 1984 - Population: 442,860. * 1986 - 15 April:

Aerial bombing An airstrike, air strike, or air raid is an offensive operation carried out by aircraft. Air strikes are delivered from aircraft such as blimps, balloons, fighter aircraft, attack aircraft, bombers, attack helicopters, and drones. The official d ...

of city by United States forces. * 1989 -

Tibesti Hotel The Tibesti Hotel is a hotel situated overlooking the harbour of the 23rd July Lake in the city centre of Benghazi, Libya. Description At fifteen stories tall, it is a particularly prominent building with 242 rooms. 2011 bomb attack On 1 June ...

(hi-rise) built. * 1990 - Population: 800,000 (estimate). * 1991 - "Administrative Office Complex" (hi-rise) built. * 1993 - September:

Great Man-Made River The Great Man-Made River (GMMR, , ) is a network of pipes that supplies fresh water obtained from the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System fossil aquifer across Libya. It is the world's largest irrigation project. The project utilizes a pipeline syst ...

constructed; water begins flowing to Benghazi. * 2000 ** 1 September: Al-Ahly football stadium demolished. ** September: Unrest.

21st century

* 2005 - Population: 685,367 (estimate). * 2006 - 15 February: Protest against

Muhammad cartoons The Muhammad cartoons controversy (or Muhammad cartoons crisis, ) began after the Danish newspaper published twelve editorial cartoons on 30 September 2005 depicting Muhammad, the founder of Islam, in what it said was a response to the deb ...

. * 2007 - ''

Quryna ''Quryna'' (), formerly known as ''Yosberides'' (), is a privately owned Libyan newspaper published in print and on the internet. It is based in Benghazi, the country's second largest city. Reuters described it as "Libya's most reliable media ou ...

'' newspaper begins publication. * 2008 - construction begins. * 2009 -

Martyrs of February Stadium Benina Martyrs Stadium (), until 2011 officially named Hugo Chávez Football Stadium (), is a Libyan football stadium located in Benina, a town 19 km east of Benghazi. The stadium was constructed by the same company that built the Brita-Ar ...

opens in nearby Benina. * 2011 ** 15 February:

Arab Spring The Arab Spring () was a series of Nonviolent resistance, anti-government protests, Rebellion, uprisings, and Insurgency, armed rebellions that spread across much of the Arab world in the early 2010s. It began Tunisian revolution, in Tunisia ...

-related protest;

Libyan Civil War (2011) The Libyan civil war, also known as the First Libyan Civil War and Libyan Revolution, was an armed conflict in 2011 in the North African country of Libya that was fought between forces loyal to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi and rebel groups that were ...

begins. ** '' Al Kalima'' newspaper begins publication. * 2012 ** 19 May:

Local election In many parts of the world, local elections take place to select office-holders in local government, such as mayors and councillors. Elections to positions within a city or town are often known as "municipal elections". Their form and conduct var ...

held. ** June: Pro-autonomy mob ransacks the election commission building. ** September: United States consulate attacked. * 2014 ** 16 May:

Benina International Airport Benina International Airport () serves Benghazi, Libya. It is located in the borough of Benina, 19 kilometres (12 mi) east of Benghazi, from which it takes its name. The airport is operated by the Civil Aviation and Meteorology Bureau of ...

closes due to

fighting Combat ( French for ''fight'') is a purposeful violent conflict between multiple combatants with the intent to harm the opposition. Combat may be armed (using weapons) or unarmed ( not using weapons). Combat is resorted to either as a method of ...

. ** 15 October: Battle of Benghazi begins. * 2017 ** 18 April: Abdelrahman Alabbar becomes mayor. ** 15 July: Benina Airport reopens. ** 27 July: Battle of Benghazi officially concludes.

Notes

References

:''This article incorporates information from the

Arabic Wikipedia The Arabic Wikipedia () is the Modern Standard Arabic version of Wikipedia. It started on 9 July 2003. As of , it has articles, registered users and files and it is the List of Wikipedias, largest edition of Wikipedia by article count, and ...

German Wikipedia The German Wikipedia () is the German-language edition of Wikipedia, a free and publicly editable online encyclopedia. Founded on 16 March 2001, it is the second-oldest Wikipedia edition (after the English Wikipedia). It has articles, ma ...

, and

Italian Wikipedia The Italian Wikipedia () is the Italian language, Italian-language edition of Wikipedia. This edition was created on 10 May 2001, and first edited on 11 June 2001. As of , it has articles and more than registered accounts. It is the -largest W ...

.''

Bibliography

* * * * * * (Includes information about Benghazi) * ** * * * * * * * *

External links

* (Bibliography of

open access Open access (OA) is a set of principles and a range of practices through which nominally copyrightable publications are delivered to readers free of access charges or other barriers. With open access strictly defined (according to the 2001 de ...

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) * (Bibliography)

Images

File:Municipality Theatre of Benghazi.jpg, Berenice Theatre, Benghazi, opened in 1928; designed by

Marcello Piacentini Marcello Piacentini (8 December 188119 May 1960) was an Italian people, Italian urban theorist and one of the main proponents of Italian Fascist architecture. Biography Early career Born in Rome, he was the son of architect Pio Piacentini. He ...

{{Timelines of cities in Africa History of Benghazi

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