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Origin and history

Mount Alban Fort is a military fortification built between 1557 and 1560 on the hill of the same name, between Nice and Villefranche-sur-Mer. Commanded by the Duke of Savoie Emmanuel Philibert after the destruction suffered during the siege of Nice in 1543, it was designed by engineer Gian Maria Olgiati and directed by Domenico Ponsello. Its star layout, adapted to 16th century artillery techniques, makes it a unique example of military architecture of this period in France. The name "Mont Alban" would come from the white colour of the local limestone rock.

During its history, the fort changed hands several times: occupied by the French in 1691 during the war of the Augsburg league, then returned to the Savoy in 1715 by the Treaty of Utrecht. It was again captured in 1744 during the Austrian Succession War, before being recovered by the Piedmontese in 1748. In 1792 he was occupied by the French revolutionaries, then used as a military transmission post during the Italian campaign in 1800. His last bullet shot was on May 28, 1800.

In the 20th century, the fort suffered damage during the Second World War, with shell fire in 1944 and the destruction of its superstructures in 1948. Disused by the army, it became property of the city of Nice in 2007 for a symbolic euro. Since 2010, it has been open to the public and is home to a historical diorama and television transmitters. Ranked a historic monument in 1909, it illustrates the evolution of defensive techniques and the turbulent history of the region.

Architecturally, the fort is distinguished by its rectangular plan (40 x 46 meters) with strongholds in the shape of spades and stone heals. Located 220 metres above sea level, it offered strategic views of the Bay of Angels and the Italian Riviera. Initially planned for a garrison of fifty soldiers, it was the subject of several expansion projects, notably by Carlo Morello in the 16th century and Vauban in the 17th century, without all being realized.

The fort of Mount Alban embodies the geopolitical stakes of the border between Savoie and France. Its history reflects the repeated conflicts for the control of Nice and its region, as well as the constant adaptation of fortifications to the progress of artillery. Today, it combines historical heritage and modern usage, with its digital television transmitters installed since 2006.

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