Saint-Tropez Citadel, Saint-Tropez, France

In 1589, Maréchal de Villars supervised the construction of a small fort on the hill known as 'colline des Moulins' overlooking Saint-Tropez. This fort was destroyed in 1595, but the military engineer Raymond de Bonnefons chose the same site to build further defensive structures from the start of the 17th century.

The hexagonal tower, which formed an essential part of the village's defence system, was erected between 1602 and 1607. The Citadel underwent numerous modifications over the centuries, before falling into disuse in the 19th century, when the strategic interest of this perfectly-preserved fortress finally diminished.

The old cannons are still in place facing out towards to sea, and the views from the top are stunning across the Gulf and the Mediterranean Sea.

Bought up by the town in 1993 and made a listed monument, today it hosts a museum dedicated to the history of Saint Tropez and its relationship with the sea.

References:

See Saint-Tropez

Castles and fortifications in France

User Reviews

Vladislav Moroshan (2 years ago)
The view is great, but the castle is not that interesting.

James Oliver (2 years ago)
This is a hidden gem that is well worth walking up the lanes and steps to. Inside the castle is a labyrinth of rooms which are really interesting and informative. You can see a lot of time effort and money has been put into this place. Absolutely recommend.

Michael G M (2 years ago)
Fascinating history Great views of Saint Tropez The maritime museum was very educational.

Christine Peral (2 years ago)
Solid castle/museum. It’s only $4 euro a person to go in. Nice views. Could visit or not, wouldn’t make it break the experience or trip to St. Tropez. Nice history tho!

Yusuf Khan (2 years ago)
History of the site well presented. Definitely visit if in St Tropez.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Infomastern

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Visby Cathedral (also known as St. Mary’s Church) is the only survived medieval church in Visby. It was originally built for German merchants and inaugurated in 1225. Around the year 1350 the church was enlarged and converted into a basilica. The two-storey magazine was also added then above the nave as a warehouse for merchants.

Following the Reformation, the church was transformed into a parish church for the town of Visby. All other churches were abandoned. Shortly after the Reformation, in 1572, Gotland was made into its own Diocese, and the church designated its cathedral.

There is not much left of the original interior. The font is made of local red marble in the 13th century. The pulpit was made in Lübeck in 1684. There are 400 graves under the church floor.

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