Calvi Citadel, Calvi, France

The Genoese Citadel is the main part of the town of Calvi, and its most important historical monument. It was a military outpost in the 15th century that helped guard the city against attacks from Franco-Turkish raiders to Anglo-Corsican armies. Inside the battlements, don’t miss the well-proportioned Caserne Sampiero, a military barracks that once served as the Genoese administration's seat of power, and the 13th-century Cathédrale St-Jean Baptiste, whose most celebrated relic is the ebony Christ des Miracles, credited with saving Calvi from Saracen invasion in 1553.

The citadel sits high above Calvi port from where it towers over the sea. From up here you get some great views of the coast and harbour.

Address

Carrughju Agnese, Calvi, France

See all sites in Calvi

Details

Founded: 15th century
Category: Castles and fortifications in France

Rating

4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby

Corte Citadel (43,1 km)
Algajola Citadel (9,4 km)
Church of the Trinity and San Giovanni (11,3 km)
San Giovanni Battista (45,2 km)

User Reviews

Gabriela Menendez (4 months ago)
No taxis, no trash cans and train routes are not accurate. Expect to walk especially If you're staying at the near by camps. City was lovely, tourist friendly and lots of picturest spots.

Vincent Randy Heslop (5 months ago)
Beautiful landmark with lovely views of Calvi and the surrounding coastline. A lot of uphill trekking, so prepare yourself for reaching the top! There are restaurants, gelato, jewelry shops and art displays worth a visit.

Stian Kolstø (6 months ago)
Nice place, worth a visit?

Coralie Pattenden (7 months ago)
Spectacular views of the town below and lots of little, interesting streets to lose yourself in. There are various signs with information and an audio tour I believe people can do (although we didn't). A lovely little church can be found near the top and a delicious ice cream parlour.

Clare Weber (15 months ago)
This is an amazing place. The view's from the top are so beautiful! There is a very old church on top of the Citadel. Beautiful architecture. Friendly city!

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright Dan Wiklund

Historic Site of the week

Carlsten

Carlsten is a stone fortress built on the orders of King Carl X of Sweden following the Treaty of Roskilde, 1658 to protect the newly acquired province of Bohuslän from hostile attacks. The site of Marstrand was chosen because of its location and its access to an ice free port. Initially a square stone tower was constructed, but by 1680 it was reconstructed and replaced by a round shaped tower. Successive additions to the fortress were carried out, by the inmates sentenced to hard labour, until 1860 when it was reported finished. The fortress was decommissioned as a permanent defense installation in 1882, but remained in military use until the early 1990s.

The fortress was attacked and sieged twice falling into enemy hands. In 1677 it was conquered by Ulrik Frederick Gyldenløve, the Danish military commander in Norway and in 1719 by the Norwegian Vice-Admiral Tordenskjold. At both occasions the fortress was returned to Swedish control through negotiations and treaties.

Calvi Citadel