Timeline of Benghazi

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Benghazi, Libya.^{[nb 1]}

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

Prior to 20th century

• 7th century BCE - Euesperides founded by Cyrenians near the site of present-day Benghazi.^[1]
• 1517 CE - Cyrenaica becomes part of Ottoman Tripolitania.^{[chronology citation needed]}
• 1577 - Atiq Mosque built.^{[chronology citation needed]}
• 1816/1817 - Massacre [ar] occurs at the Ottoman fortress [ar].^{[citation needed]}
• 1820 - Alhadadp Mosque founded.^{(ar)[citation needed]}
• 1827 - British consulate established.
• 1858 - Plague outbreak.^[2]
• 1869 - Administrative Benghazi mutessariflik (province) created.^[1]
• 1874 - Plague outbreak.^[2]
• 1895
  • Barracks [ar] built in Al-Berka.^{[citation needed]}
  • Italian "Società d'Esplorazione Commerciale in Africa" active in Benghazi.^[2]

20th century

1900s-1940s

• 1906 - Market [ar] burns down.^{[citation needed]}
• 1911
  • 19 October: Town occupied by Italian forces during the Italo-Turkish War.
  • Population: 35,000.^[3]
• 1913 - Albergo Italia (hotel) built.^{[citation needed]}
• 1914 - Benghazi–Benina railway [it] begins operating.
• 1916 - Benghazi Central Station [it] built.^[4]
• 1922 - Benghazi Lighthouse built.^{[citation needed]}
• 1924 - City Hall built.
• 1926 - Benghazi-Suluq Railway [it] begins operating.
• 1927
  • Benghazi–Marj railway [it] begins operating.
  • Catholic Apostolic Vicariate of Cyrenaica established.^[5]
• 1928 - Berenice Theatre [ar] opens.^{[citation needed]}
• 1931 - September: Trial of Omar Mukhtar, leading to his execution on 16 September in nearby Suluq.
• 1934
  • Pier built in the Port of Benghazi.^[6]
  • Administrative Benghazi Province created.^{[chronology citation needed]}
• 1936 - Hotel Berenice [ar] built.^[7]
• 1937 - March: Mussolini visits Benghazi.
• 1939 - Benghazi Cathedral built.
• 1942
  • November: British forces take city during the Battle of El Agheila in World War II.^[8]
  • Italian rule ends.
  • Omar al-Mukhtar Society formed.^{[9][chronology citation needed]}
• 1945 - Population: 60,000 (approximate).^[10]
• 1947 - Ahly Benghazi football club active.

1950s-1990s

• 1952
  • Al-Hilal SC (sport club) formed.
  • University of Oxford's Ashmolean Expedition to Cyrenaica begins its archaeological excavation of Euesperides site.^[11]
• 1953 - City boundary established.^[12]
• 1954 - Al Tahaddy SC (football club) formed.
• 1955 - University of Libya founded.^[8]
• 1956 - Benghazi Zoo founded.^{[citation needed]}
• 1957 - Benghazi Military University Academy established.
• 1964 - Population: 137,295.^[13]
• 1967 - Stadium and Suliman Ad-Dharrath Arena^{[citation needed]} open.
• 1970s - Giuliana Bridge opens.
• 1973
  • University of Benghazi active.
  • Population: 266,000.^[10]
• 1980 - February: Protest at French consulate.^[14]
• 1982
  • March: Part of 1982 African Cup of Nations football contest held in Benghazi.
  • Convention centre [ar] built.^{[citation needed]}
• 1984 - Population: 442,860.^[10]
• 1986 - 15 April: Aerial bombing of city by United States forces.^[15]
• 1989 - Tibesti Hotel (hi-rise) built.^[16]
• 1990 - Population: 800,000 (estimate).^[17]
• 1991 - "Administrative Office Complex" (hi-rise) built.^[16]
• 1993 - September: Great Man-Made River constructed; water begins flowing to Benghazi.^[18]
• 2000
  • 1 September: Al-Ahly football stadium demolished.^[19]
  • September: Unrest.^[14]

21st century

See also: Timeline of the Libyan Civil War (2014–present)

• 2005 - Population: 685,367 (estimate).^[8]
• 2006 - 15 February: Protest against Muhammad cartoons.^[15]
• 2007 - Quryna newspaper begins publication.
• 2008 - Sirt–Benghazi Railway [de] construction begins.
• 2009 - Martyrs of February Stadium opens in nearby Benina.
• 2011
  • 15 February: Arab Spring-related protest; Libyan Civil War (2011) begins.^[15]
  • Al Kalima newspaper begins publication.
• 2012
  • 19 May: Local election held.
  • June: Pro-autonomy mob ransacks the election commission building.^[15]
  • September: United States consulate attacked.^[15]
• 2014
  • 16 May: Benina International Airport closes due to fighting.
  • 15 October: Battle of Benghazi begins.
• 2017
  • 18 April: Abdelrahman Alabbar becomes mayor.^[20]
  • 15 July: Benina Airport reopens.
  • 27 July: Battle of Benghazi officially concludes.

See also

• History of Benghazi
• Timeline of Tripoli, Libya
• Timeline of the Italian Empire [it]

Notes

1. The city of Benghazi is also called: Banghāzī, Bengasi, Bengazi, Benghasi, Berenice, Bernîk, Bingazi, Binghāzī, Euesperides, and Hesperides