Photo : Wikimedia Commons
Citadelle de Blaye
The Blaye citadel is a 38-hectare military complex built between 1685 and 1689 by the military architect François Ferry, director general of the Guyenne fortifications, under the supervision of Sébastien Vauban. It forms a vast fortified ensemble surrounded by curtain walls, completed by four bastions and three demi-lunes. The interior is designed as a true walled town organised around a parade ground, a convent that once housed religious of the Minim order, and several barracks. Several elements of the medieval fortifications are included in the new ensemble, among them the Rudel castle (twelfth century), the Liverneuf gate (thirteenth century) and the Éguillette tower (fifteenth century). Listed as a historic monument on 11 May 2009, it is also one of the twelve sites included in the Network of Major Vauban Sites and as such is inscribed on 7 July 2008 on the UNESCO World Heritage list. It has been classified since 20 December 2010 as a major site of Aquitaine.
