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Origin and history

The citadel of Saint-Florent was built in 1440 by the dog of Genoa Giano I di Campofregoso to control the Gulf and protect the port of Bastia. Originally conceived as a fort, it was partially destroyed in the 16th century during the conflicts between Genoese and French, and rebuilt in 1553 by General Paul de La Barthe de Thermes. Its fortifications were strengthened in the 18th and 19th centuries, incorporating a powderbox, a chapel, prisons and a medieval dungeon (the torrione), witness to successive military transformations.

The citadel played a key role in Corsican history: in 1795 Pascal Paoli sailed there for exile to England after defeating the British. Fort Gentili, named in tribute to a Corsican general, resisted in 1794 the English besiegants led by General Dundas, before Corsica temporarily came under British domination. The current remains, including two round towers and a square tower, reflect these historical strata, from Genoese origins to modern adaptations.

Classified as a Historical Monument in 1991 (Citadel and Precincts) and 1994 (Danjon), the citadel embodies the military heritage of Upper Corsica. Its hybrid architecture — a mixture of medieval structures, Renaissance reinforcements and 19th century additions — illustrates the strategic stakes of the Western Mediterranean. Today, it remains a symbol of Corsican resistance and a place of memory linked to Paoli and the struggles for independence.

Historical sources, such as Antoine Claude Valery's account in 1837, highlight its terrestrial vulnerability but its port importance. The citadel also houses civilian elements (17th century chapel, 19th century prisons), testifying to its evolution from purely military work to a versatile space, at the heart of the foundation of Saint-Florent in the 16th century.

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