Citadel of Besançon History and tour

In 1674, Louis XIV, with the help of Vauban, conquered Franche-Comté. Once it became French, the Sun King gave the city of Besançon an important strategic role: it had to protect the new border gained to the east of the Kingdom of France. It also became the new regional capital. Besançon is a place naturally protected by a bend in the Doubs River that encircles the city. A mountain closes this loop to the south: it was on this geostrategic site that Vauban decided to build one of the best strongholds in Europe.

The defensive structures designed by Vauban always follow the contours of the land, blending into the landscape and often deterring the enemy from attacking...
The Citadel of Besançon is one of the most representative examples of these golden rules, still visible today.

During the construction of the fortress, Mont Saint-Étienne, on which the Citadel is built, was transformed into a veritable stone quarry. The entire complex was operational in 1684, nine years after construction began. Its fortifications are staggered according to the terrain, creating several levels of firepower. The main complex housed the buildings used for the soldiers' daily life.

Over the centuries, the citadel served as barracks, a training ground for cadets and future officers, a prison, and a military penitentiary. The darkest period in its history occurred during the 1940s, when the monument was the site of the execution of 98 resistance fighters who had been arrested in the surrounding area and sentenced to death after their trial.

Purchased in 1959 by the City of Besançon, it is now a major tourist and cultural attraction in Franche-Comté, home to three museums recognized by the French government as Musées de France and offering a multitude of activities across nearly twelve hectares to approximately 270,000 visitors per year.

In 2008, Besançon and eleven other French sites, grouped together within the Vauban Network, were added to UNESCO's World Heritage List. These twelve fortifications are considered to be 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 bastioned fortification, and have long been a model for military architecture around the world. This prestigious recognition has been granted to sites 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 "Fortifications of Vauban" (
).

Learn more about the history of the Citadel

The Saint-Étienne 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 marked the history of Besançon and the Citadel. The script recounts the different episodes of a fascinating history that begins in the time of Julius Caesar, continues through the Middle Ages, then under Charles V, and finally in^{the 17th century} during the tumultuous reign of Louis XIV. The glory days of Vauban and the construction of the Citadel are recounted before giving way to contemporary history with its darkest periods.

A 15-minute show, an excellent introduction to the tour, which gives you the keys to understanding the fortress and makes it easier to explore.
Streamed continuously in the Saint-Étienne chapel (at the heart of the site);
Three screenings per hour.

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

The Vauban Area

In the Cadets building, four exhibition rooms introduce you to Vauban and his century, that of Louis XIV, Versailles, Molière, and more. They recount the two French conquests of Franche-Comté, the construction of the citadel, and the life led there by the King's Cadets 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 ten-minute computer-generated film shown continuously, traces the stages and role 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 reproduces the architectural elements of the Citadel (gatehouse, bastion, facing, etc.) on a scale^of 1:⁵⁰, which you can touch freely. Thanks to this tactile approach, everyone can learn about the art of building and discover the various construction materials used. Offering a different way of understanding the space with a two-dimensional and three-dimensional representation, this model is also of particular interest to visually impaired visitors and children. The tactile model covers several topics: 17th-century skills and techniques, construction trades, the nature and origin of materials, and Vauban's adaptation to the terrain.

This tactile model was made possible thanks to the assistance of the City of Besançon's Accessibility Expert Committee and sponsorship from 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 unique panoramic views of the city of Besançon and the exceptional natural setting that surrounds it.

In addition to the green hills and the meandering Doubs River, don't miss the opportunity to take in the remarkably restored architectural heritage of the building and its various structures. On either side of the main square, the King's and Queen's guardhouses dominate the site and are the starting point for your exploration of the ramparts.

The Underground Galleries

In^{the 17th} century, most of Vauban's citadels and strongholds were equipped with underground passages. These were strategic defensive locations. Soldiers could move around under cover from enemy fire and were able to hear the arrival of an enemy or monitor the entry points to towns.

At the Citadel of Besançon, an underground gallery called "Communication 110" connects the Saint-Etienne Front and the Royal Front. Measuring 127 meters in length, in Vauban's time it allowed soldiers to move around and retreat optimally in the event of an attack. In the Royal Front, another passage connects the mill room to the tenaille, a fortification element located above the large moat.

These galleries are accessible during guided tours scheduled according to the season 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 to sleep, cook, eat, and entertain themselves.

This faithful recreation, complete with furniture and objects, of an interior dedicated to the lives of the Sun King's soldiers (
) allows you to immerse yourself in their daily lives anddiscover another facet of this unique site.
In this fully accessible exhibition space, young and old alike can enjoy a unique experience usingoriginal interactive tools: sound effects, virtual reality devices, costume fittings, and more.

The Vauban Garden

This garden aims to evoke the various uses of plants in^{the 17th and 18th} centuries. At that time, plants had many uses: for food, including the production of bread and wine, for making fabric, for heating, for defense, and even for healing... or killing...

Although most of the old plans depict a largely mineral site, the Citadel actually featured vegetation that served both to defend the site and to support the daily lives of its inhabitants. Vegetable gardens were planted where the soil was deep enough, even though the Citadel's production was not sufficient to supply all of the troops.

Guided tours

• Secret Citadel Tour
  From its construction to the daily life of soldiers, including its inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List, this tour offers an optimal discovery of Vauban's masterpiece, including a visit to two underground galleries.
  Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes.
• "Three Centuries of History" tour
  Discover the characteristics of a bastioned fortification, the work and career of Vauban, and the various roles played by the Citadel from its construction to its inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
  Duration: 1 hour.
• Visit the Citadel in the^17th century
  Immerse yourself in the Grand Siècle to discover the reign of Louis XIV, the construction of the citadel, and the daily life of the troops as you pass through the Espace Vauban and the soldiers' barracks.
  Duration: 45 min.

Tour led by an actor

• Tour led by an actor In the footsteps of Vauban
  The illustrious military engineer reveals the secrets of the enclosure and shares his knowledge and passion for the history and architecture of the Citadel.
  Duration: 1 hour.

Self-guided tour

• With the MaCitadelle app
  Equipped with a smartphone or tablet, set off to explore the site with the entire Citadel in your pocket! The MaCitadelle visitor app is designed as a interactive guide allowing you to find your way around on the site and discover the Citadel: its history, its heritage, but also its museums and the animations offered. You have access to practical and heritage information with multiple levels of interpretation. The content combines text, videos, images and slideshows, sound and voice-overs, and 2D and 3D animated videos (available in English, German, and Italian).
  
  Fun and interactive, the app MyCitadel offers different routes to choose from depending on your needs, the time you have available, and your preferences:
  • The Vauban Site 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 PRM route for people with reduced mobility
  • Two investigation games (available in French, English, German, and Italian),
  • The Citadel at a glance, with the must-see attractions (available in French, English, German, Italian, Dutch, Spanish, and Japanese),
  • Wildlife trail (available in French).

The Citadel is undergoing a regular restoration program aimed at enhancing this jewel of military architecture while preserving its original appearance.
Some of these restorations are notable for their technical sophistication and exemplary nature, particularly in terms of the mastery of traditional craftsmanship, such as the repair of roof structures and roofing.

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

2012-2014
Restoration of the half-moon of the Royal Front

2015-2022
Restoration of the King and Queen's gatehouses
Restoration of the two ramparts

Renovation of the roof of the Saint-Etienne powder store at the bottom of the site

Restoration of the staircase leading to the Comtois Museum

The 2015-2022 work plan, worth €6 million, has enabled fourteen new projects to be carried out on the fortifications of Besançon, including seven at the Citadel.

A new plan is being put in place, with work set to resume at the end of 2026. This will involve the cistern known as "des Espagnols" at the entrance to the main square, the roof of the barracks on the right of the Front Royal, the first front of the Citadel (Front Saint-Etienne), and in particular one of the brick cross walls, the bridge leading to the Front Royal and the outer wall of the Front de Secours.