Citadelle de Montmédy, Montmédy, France

Montmédy citadel is one of the largest fortresses in North-Eastern France. It was built during the reign of Emperor Charles V in 1545 then altered in the 17th century by Vauban and, in the 19th century, by Séré de Rivières, who added a large number of bunkers.

The tourist office and the Fortification Museum explains systems of defence through the ages and gives a clearer understanding of strategies of attack and defence as well as technical terms such as bastion, half-moon battery, curtain wall, outwork, covered passageway etc. There is also a gallery of works by portrait artist Jules Bastien-Lepage, who was born in Damvillers not far from Montmédy in the 19th century. He also painted landscapes and scenes of country life. A game in the form of a free booklet is available for your children to help them visit the two museums. During the school holidays, arts and crafts workshops and special shows are arranged free of charge for the younger members of the family.

References:

Meuse Tourism

Castles and fortifications in France

User Reviews

Tim H (2 years ago)
Nice stroll. Up and around to the small little town up overseeing the city.

john lakey (2 years ago)
An amazing time spent here. You can actually drive in to the citadel, park and walk around. People live in the citadel and you really get a feel of how life used to be. If you are unsure, remember, its free and its a great experience for all ages.

Mamai Jen (2 years ago)
Interesting place to walk around.

Duncan Smart (2 years ago)
Pretty cool place to walk around and explore

Rütger Ask Jacobsen (2 years ago)
Found this fantastic place while on our way to Mont Saint Michel from Denmark, and it was amazing. First of all, we never expected to find people still living here and secondly the stucture and mere size of the Citadelle is just... wauw! The stories this place could tell! It is so easy to let the imagination run wild! What we found out is that is was last used i WWI and in 1657 it was defended for 57 days against 30.000 soldiers by just 756 soldiers, only surrendering after the death of the govenor. Long story short, if you are ever in this region, go visit Citadelle de Montmédy, it is a fantastic and beautifull place.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright Following Hadrian

Historic Site of the week

Walls of Constantinople

The Walls of Constantinople are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople (today Istanbul) since its founding as the new capital of the Roman Empire by Constantine the Great. With numerous additions and modifications during their history, they were the last great fortification system of antiquity, and one of the most complex and elaborate systems ever built. They were also the largest and strongest fortification in both the ancient and medieval world.

Initially built by Constantine the Great, the walls surrounded the new city on all sides, protecting it against attack from both sea and land. As the city grew, the famous double line of the Theodosian Walls was built in the 5th century. Although the other sections of the walls were less elaborate, they were, when well-manned, almost impregnable for any medieval besieger.

Citadelle de Montmédy

Address

Details

More Information

Rating

Interesting Sites Nearby

User Reviews

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Finest Norman castles in Italy

Exploring the History of Northern Poland

Discovering Slovenia's Historic Wonders

Historic Site of the week

Walls of Constantinople