Press and media

Découvrez tous les événements forts et nouveautés de 2026 à la Citadelle.

In 1675, work began on the Citadel of Besançon, designed by Vauban on the orders of Louis XIV to strengthen the kingdom's defenses. Three and a half centuries later, this fortress, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, remains a remarkable testament to 17th-century military engineering and a symbol of the strategic genius of its time.
To mark this exceptional anniversary, the Citadel will be transformed into a living theater throughout the year. A rich and immersive program combining exhibitions, workshops, themed tours, and activities will immerse you in the world of the Sun King.

The entire 2025 program from April to September

From April 13 to November 3, the Citadel of Besançon, a major heritage site and World Heritage Site, will be the exceptional setting for the exhibition "Draw Me Your Planet." Organized by the Besançon Museum, which is fully committed to preserving biodiversity, this major exhibition following in the footsteps of the Little Prince and Deyrolle invites visitors to take a curious look at the world while questioning today's environmental and social issues.
An immersive journey based on an original creation by Deyrolle, where the unexpected meets the imaginary, where beauty and science intertwine to teach us to observe, marvel, and pass on our knowledge so that we can take action!
A veritable exhibition-journey spread over the 12 hectares of Vauban's masterpiece fortress, "Dessine-moi ta planète" takes visitors on a fun, educational, and inspiring journey in 10 stages.

Open since 1971, the Museum of Resistance and Deportation in Besançon (MRDB) is a leading museum on the theme of World War II. It is located within a heritage site, the Citadel, and in the immediate vicinity of a memorial, the Monument to the Executed. Thanks to its location within the Citadel, the museum benefits from the strong appeal of the Franche-Comté region's leading tourist attraction, which welcomes around 270,000 visitors annually and is one of the must-see sites in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region (the fourth most visited paid site after the Hospices de Beaune, the Parc des Combes, and the medieval construction site of Guédelon).

Find the full program for the Citadel from April to September 2023 in this Highlights section.