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Founded: 1767-1787Category: Palaces, manors and town halls in Germany
Historical period: Emerging States (Germany)
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Schloss Münster, the former residence of the prince-bishop with its rich figural ornamentation of the facades, was constructed from 1767 to 1787 as a three-winged complex by Johann Conrad Schaun. After the war, the exterior aspect was reconstructed true to the original. The castle is built from the typical Baumberger sandstone of Münster.
Today, the palace is used by the university administration. On the Schlossplatz in front of the palace, the great annual funfair - the Send -takes place thrice a year, attracting thousands of visitors. Right at the Schlossplatz, there is also the central lecture hall building of the university, which is frequently used for conventions and even concerts.
The historical centre of Briançon is a strongly fortified town, built by Vauban to defend the region from Austrians in the 17th century. Its streets are very steep and narrow, though picturesque. Briançon lies at the foot of the descent from the Col de Montgenèvre, giving access to Turin, so a great number of other fortifications have been constructed on the surrounding heights, especially towards the east.
The Savoyards made two raids into French territory in 1691 and 1692. As a result, Vauban was dispatched to inspect the frontier defences, which had been ill-equiped to deal with the attack from Savoy. He returned to the area in 1700 to check on the progress that had been made since his first visit. When Vauban visited Briançon, work on the defences had already started under a local engineer, Monsieur d"Angrogne in 1692.