Vauban's Citadel is a unique place of its kind. One of the most ambitious military projects in the history of our country, conceived in a way of genius, Neuf-Brisach is one of the historical visits not to be missed in Alsace.
In 1697, the French kingdom lost its stronghold of Brisach, located on the German side of the Rhine, following the treaty of Ryswick. This situation created an awkward defensive gap against Germany between the citadels of Huningue and Strasbourg. To remedy this problem, Louis XIV ordered the construction of the fortified city of Neuf-Brisach, opposite its twin sister on the other side of the Rhine. The King entrusted the realization of this audacious project to his faithful architect Vauban. Among several drafts, the most ambitious, that of an octagonal stronghold embellished with eight bastioned towers, was chosen. Neuf-Brisach was the last fortified town to be built entirely by Vauban and was the ultimate achievement of his military architecture. The fortress is undoubtedly the most sophisticated defense system of its time. The fortifications of Neuf-Brisach unfortunately suffered significant damage during the American bombings at the end of the Second World War, but the citadel has since been restored.
Vauban's citadel is today a priceless vestige of the French military past. The best way to discover it is to walk around it, with the possibility of following an original guided tour, carried out by actors in costume playing the roles of historical characters related to the stronghold, such as Vauban, Louvois or Tarade. The visit of the fortified city with its perfectly octagonal shape allows the visitor to imagine the magnitude of the work done during its construction with the means of the time. The impressive ramparts, the Place d'Armes, the bastioned towers, the moat, the security wall, the pincers, the counterguards and the Vauban canal, specially designed to bring the sandstone stones necessary for the foundation of the city directly from the Vosges, are not to be missed. The Vauban Museum, which traces the city's past, and the Royal Church of Saint-Louis are also interesting sites to visit.
Type
Tourist areas : Rhin
SVG coordinates : 939,985
