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All French heritage classified by regions, departments and cities

  2. Patrimoine
  3. Occitanie
  4. Pyrénées-Orientales
  5. 66210 Mont-Louis

  6. All the citadel ramparts

All the citadel ramparts à Mont-Louis dans les Pyrénées-Orientales

Pyrénées-Orientales

All the citadel ramparts

    111 Avenue du Général Jean Gilles
    66210 Mont-Louis
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Ensemble des remparts de la citadelle
Crédit photo : MOSSOT - Sous licence Creative Commons

Timeline

Temps modernes
Révolution/Empire
XIXe siècle
Époque contemporaine
1700
1800
1900
2000
1659
Treaty of the Pyrenees
1679
Design by Vauban
1681
Completion of work
1793
Mont-Louis renowned Mont-Libre
1922
Historical Monument
2008
UNESCO registration
2021
Extension of classification
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui

Heritage classified

All the city walls with their defences and ditches: by order of 28 July 1922; All the fortified, built and unbuilt structures constituting the ramparts, defences and ditches of the citadel of Mont-Louis, with the soils of parcels Nos. 4 to 8, 17 to 24, 34 to 38, 9000 and part of Parcel No. 78, of the AC section of the cadastre, on which are situated, as coloured in red on the plan annexed to the decree: classification by decree of 20 January 2021

Key figures

Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban - Military engineer Manufacturer of the citadel in 1679.
Louis XIV - King of France Project sponsor after 1659.
François de Fortia, marquis de Durban - First Governor Takes possession in 1681.
Joblot - Urban engineer Restore the city in the 18th century.
Général Dagobert - Military Commander Defend Mont-Louis in 1793-1794.

Origin and history

The enclosure of Mont-Louis, built in the 17th century under the impulse of Louis XIV, was designed to protect the new town and its citadel after annexation of the territory to Spain by the Treaty of the Pyrenees (1659). Vauban, general commissioner of fortifications, designed this stronghold in 1679 to secure the border. The work, led by soldiers of the Vierzet and Furstemberg regiments, was completed in 1681, making the place operational. The citadel could accommodate 2,500 men and 300 horses, supplemented by a hospital and a civilian city.

The building was marked by an inauguration ceremony in 1681, in the presence of the first governor, François de Fortia, Marquis of Durban. Work continued until 1689, including a church in the citadel and barracks. In the 18th century, engineer Joblot redesigned the urban plan, imposing an architectural unit after a fire in 1722. The church of Saint-Louis was built between 1733 and 1737, while the citadel, renamed Mont-Libre in 1793, escaped the sieges despite the war against Spain.

Ranked historic monuments in 1922, the ramparts of Mont-Louis were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008, recognizing their universal value. Protection was extended in 2021 to include all the fortifications of the citadel, consistent with the network of major sites in Vauban. The stronghold, with its strongholds, ditches and half moons, remains an emblematic example of Vauban's military art, adapted to the mountainous terrain of the Pyrenees.

The city, accessible by the gate of France, was protected by advanced defenses such as counterguards and riders. The barracks, the communal well and the church of Saint Louis were complete. Despite tensions with Spain, notably in 1793-1794, Mont-Louis was never taken, thanks to its strategic position and fortifications. Today, the site testifies to the military engineering of the Great Century and its role in French border history.

External links

Page Wikipedia
Page Monumentum