Besançon Citadel History and Tour

In 1674, Louis XIV, with Vauban’s help, conquered Franche-Comté. Now that the region had become part of France, the Sun King assigned the city of Besançon an important strategic role: it was to protect the kingdom of France’s newly acquired eastern border. It also became the new regional capital. Besançon is a naturally fortified stronghold, protected by a meander of the Doubs River that encircles the city. A hill closes off this loop to the south: it was on this geostrategic site that Vauban decided to build one of the finest fortresses in Europe.

The defensive fortifications designed by Vauban always follow the contours of the terrain, blend into the landscape, and very often deter the enemy from attacking…
The Citadel of Besançon is one of the most representative examples of these golden rules that can still be seen today.

During the construction of the fortress, Mount Saint-Étienne—on which the Citadel was built—became a veritable stone quarry. The entire complex became operational in 1684, nine years after construction began. Its fortifications are terraced to follow the contours of the terrain, creating several levels of fire. The main complex houses the buildings intended for the soldiers’ daily lives.

Over the centuries, the citadel served as a barracks, a training center for cadets(future officers), a prison, and a military penitentiary. The darkest chapter in its history unfolded during the 1940s, when the site was the location of the execution of 98 members of the Resistance who had been arrested in the surrounding area and sentenced to death following their trials.

Acquired in 1959 by the City of Besançon, it is now a major tourist and cultural destination in Franche-Comté, home to three museums recognized by the French government as “Musées de France” and offering a wide variety of activities across nearly twelve hectares to approximately 270,000 visitors each year.

In 2008, Besançon and eleven other French sites, grouped together under the Vauban Network, were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. These twelve fortifications are considered the most representative of Vauban’s work, the most authentic, and the best preserved. Recognized for their “outstanding universal value,” they illustrate Vauban’s creative genius, symbolize the heyday of bastion fortification, and have long served as a model for military architecture worldwide. This prestigious recognition was granted to sites located throughout France: Briançon, Mont-Dauphin, Villefranche-de-Conflent, Mont-Louis, Blaye/Cussac-Fort-Médoc, Saint-Martin-de-Ré, Camaret-sur-Mer, Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue, Arras, Longwy, and Neuf-Brisach. This series of sites thus becomes the^32nd French property inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, under the name “
: Vauban’s Fortifications.”

Learn more about the history of the Citadel

St. Stephen's Chapel and its historical multimedia show

A true journey into the past, this multimedia show transports you through time and space to discover the key moments that have shaped the history of Besançon and the Citadel. As the story unfolds, it recounts the various episodes of a fascinating history that begins in the time of Julius Caesar, continues through the Middle Ages, then under Charles V, and finally into^{the 17th century} during the tumultuous reign of Louis XIV. Vauban’s heyday and the construction of the Citadel are recounted before giving way to contemporary history and its darkest periods.

A 15-minute show that serves as an excellent introduction to the tour, providing you with the key insights needed to understand the fortress and making it easier to explore.
Continuous screenings in the Saint-Étienne Chapel (the heart of the site);
—3 screenings per hour.

Free for Citadelle ticket or pass holders.
Check out some excerpts by following this link.

The Vauban Space

In the Cadets Building, four exhibition halls introduce you to Vauban and his era—the age of Louis XIV, Versailles, and Molière. They chronicle France’s two conquests of Franche-Comté, the construction of the citadel, and the lives of the King’s Cadets there from 1682 to 1694.

Your journey through time continues in the video area. “Au cœur d’une citadelle” (At the Heart of a Citadel), a 10-minute computer-generated film shown on a continuous loop, traces the history and significance of the construction of the buildings at this major site in Franche-Comté. Subtitled in French, English, German, and Dutch.

A 60^cm³ tactile model recreates architectural elements of the Citadel (guardhouse, bastion, facing, etc.) on a^1/50 scale, which you are free to touch. Thanks to this tactile approach, everyone can learn about the art of building and discover the various construction materials used. By offering a different way to understand the space through both two-dimensional and three-dimensional representations, this model is also of particular interest to visually impaired visitors and children. The tactile model covers several topics: 17th-century craftsmanship and techniques, construction trades, the nature and origin of materials, and Vauban’s adaptation to the terrain.

The creation of this tactile model was made possible thanks to the assistance provided by the City of Besançon’s Expert Committee on Accessibility and the sponsorship of the Caisse d’Epargne de Bourgogne-Franche-Comté.

The ramparts

Continue your stroll along the ramparts, which are nearly 600 meters long, 5 to 6 meters wide, and 15 to 20 meters high, and enjoy the unique panoramic views of the city of Besançon and the exceptional natural setting that surrounds it.

In addition to the lush green hills and the meandering Doubs River, be sure to visit
to take in the remarkably restored architectural heritage of the building and its various structures. On either side of the main courtyard, the King’s and Queen’s guardhouses dominate the site and serve as the starting point for your exploration of the ramparts.

The Underground Galleries

In the^17th century, most of Vauban’s citadels and fortified towns were equipped with underground passages. These served as strategic defensive positions. Soldiers could move through them while remaining out of the line of fire, allowing them to hear the approach of an enemy or to monitor the city’s entry points.

At the Besançon Citadel, an underground tunnel called “Communication 110” connects the Saint-Etienne Front and the Royal Front. Measuring 127 meters in length, it allowed soldiers, during Vauban’s time, to move about and retreat efficiently in the event of an attack. Within the Front Royal, another passage connects the Salle du Moulin to the “tenaille,” a fortification feature located above the large moat.

These galleries are open to the public during guided tours, which are scheduled seasonally or upon request for groups.

The Soldiers' Barracks

The barracks were a living space for the twelve soldiers who shared them, serving as a place for them to sleep, cook, eat, and even entertain themselves.

This faithful recreation—complete with furniture and artifacts—of a home dedicated to the lives of the “
” soldiers of the Sun King allows you to immerse yourself in their daily lives and
discover another facet of this unique site.
In this fully accessible exhibition space, visitors of all ages can enjoy a one-of-a-kind experience throughinnovative interactive elements: sound effects, virtual reality experiences, and the chance to try on costumes…

The Vauban Garden

This garden aims to illustrate the various uses of plants in^{the 17th and 18th} centuries. During that period, plants served many purposes: for food, including the production of bread and wine; for making cloth; for heating; for defense; and even for healing… or killing…

Although the vast majority of old maps depict the site as largely barren, the Citadel actually featured areas of vegetation that served both to defend the site and to support the daily lives of its inhabitants. In particular, vegetable gardens were established where the soil was deep enough, even though the Citadel’s produce was not sufficient to feed all the troops.

Guided Tours

• Secret Citadel Tour
  From its construction to the daily lives of the soldiers, including its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this tour offers the ultimate exploration of Vauban’s masterpiece, featuring a visit to two underground galleries.
  Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes.
• “3 Centuries of History” Tour
  Discover the characteristics of a bastioned fortification, Vauban’s work and career, as well as the various roles played by the Citadel from its construction to its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  Duration: 1 hour.
• Tour the^17th-century Citadel
  Step back into the Grand Siècle to discover the reign of Louis XIV, the construction of the citadel, and the daily life of the troops as you explore the Espace Vauban and the soldiers’ barracks.
  Duration: 45 min.

Guided tour led by an actor

• Guided tour led by an actor: “In the Footsteps of Vauban”
  The renowned military engineer reveals the secrets of the ramparts and shares his knowledge and passion for the history and architecture of the Citadel.
  Duration: 1 hour.

Self-guided tour

• With the MaCitadelle app
  With a smartphone or tablet in hand, set out to explore the site with the entire Citadel right in your pocket! The MaCitadelle tour app is designed as a interactive guide allowing you to find your way on the site and explore the Citadel: its history, his heritage, but also its museums and the activities offered. You have access to Practical and Financial Information with multiple levels of interpretation. The content includes a mix of text, videos, images, and slideshows, as well as audio and voice-overs, and 2D and 3D animated videos (available in English, German, and Italian).
  
  Fun and interactive, the app MyCitadel offers a variety of courses to choose from Depending on your needs, the time you have available, and what you'd like to do:
  • The Site Vauban Tour for Adults and Children (available in French, English, German, and Italian),
  • The FALC (Easy to Read and Understand) program for people with intellectual disabilities
  • The audio-described tour for people with visual impairments
  • The PMR Route for People with Limited Mobility
  • Two mystery games (available in French, English, German, and Italian),
  • The Citadel at a Glance, featuring the must-see attractions (available in French, English, German, Italian, Dutch, Spanish, and Japanese),
  • Wildlife Trail (available in French).

The Citadel is the subject of an ongoing restoration program aimed at showcasing this jewel of military architecture while preserving its original appearance.
Some of these restoration projects stand out for their technical sophistication and exemplary quality, particularly in terms of the mastery of traditional craftsmanship—such as the repair of roof trusses and roofing, for example.

These heritage restoration projects also respect biodiversity: work is not carried out during the nesting seasons of the peregrine falcon and the eagle owl, and cavities are created in the restored areas to provide shelter for wildlife, for example.

2012–2014
: Restoration of the Royal Front’s half-moon

2015–2022
Restoration of the guardhouses known as the King’s and the Queen’s
Restoration of the two ramparts

Roof repair on the Saint-Etienne powder magazine at the bottom of the site

Restoration of the staircase leading to the Musée Comtois

The 2015–2022 construction plan, with a budget of 6 M€, made it possible to carry out fourteen new projects on the fortifications of Besançon, including seven at the Citadel.

A new plan is currently being implemented, with work set to resume in late 2026. This will involve the cistern known as “des Espagnols” at the entrance to the main enclosure, the roof of the barracks on the right side of the Front Royal, the first front of the Citadel (Front Saint-Etienne)—including one of the brick cross walls—the bridge leading to the Front Royal, and the outer wall of the Front de Secours.