Sisteron Citadel

Gloriously perched on a rock, with its bastionscity.
deployed both in the South and the North, with itsSisteron Chapel
covered walkway where the colours of the SisteronSisteron Chapel was built in the XVth century on a
flag float in the almost ever present wind, itterrace propped by archways supported by sturdy
fascinates the traveller passing through the Durancepillars. Its double bay vessel opens onto a choir
Vale, makes him take a break, and beckons him tobathing in the light of seven windows. It is typical of
visit this fortress which stands across the valley as athe grand gothic era when ribbed vaults were
barrier. Of such interest is the visit, so striking is thedecorated with ledges and capitals were covered
view once at the top that nobody could bewith wide flat leaves. The volume itself is a pure
disappointed. One hundred fifty kilometers (90 miles)wonder and the genius of the chief architect was to
of the French countryside unfold from one end ofcombine the golden sandstone from Bevons to the
the skyline to the other, from the North to thegrey limestone from Chambrancon (two nearby
South.quarries). Very early on, the Chapel lost its religious
The rock where the Citadel sits today is overlookingrole. In the XVIIth century, it was called dungeon and
the River Durance and has forever been a fortifiedcut up with wooden floors. Later on, it was even
place. Its first settlers could have been the Sogiontii,turned into a jail. Restored around 1935 and equipped
a little people of the powerful federation of thewith stained-glass windows, it was almost destroyed
Voconces enslaved by Emperor Augustus in 27 B.C.in 1944. Only in 1970, it was decided to have it rebuilt
Nothing is left from their oppidum or from the Romanunder the pressure of renovations carried out by
castrum which succeeded it. Nothing remains either ofA.T.M. (Arts, Theater, Monuments) in other parts of
the upper Middle Ages castle made of precariousthe fortress. In 1980, our Lady of the Castle had
fences and towers. Indeed, the fortress which sitsrecovered its shape, regained its strength and
today as a crown over the city is a mixture ofmajesty. A dazzling display of highly symbolic
works from various ages, the result of successivestained-glass windows completed the work of artist
modernisations and remodellings.Claude Courageux. Thus, from the very top of the
The upper rampart or covered walkway crownedrock, our Lady of the Castle, like a Medieval Virgin,
with a majestic dungeon goes back to the XIIthspreads its mantle of stone and glass, of mercy and
(XIIIth) century. Of the two other towers whichpeace over the city. Today the Chapel hosts some
used to stand there, one has been completelyprestigious exhibits and holds a bookshop of
levelled off (western point), the other lowered. Afterpublications about the area. Once a year, on August
the damages of the Religious Wars, a series of14, a mass is celebrated in memory of war victims.
bastioned works was added to this crest line, both inSisteron Chapel Timeline
the North and the South, which joined the rampart- 1209 : It protects Provence against the turbulent
enclosing the city since the XIVth century. TheDauphins. It is the postern of the Provencal State.
southern side consists of four walls closed by well- XIVth century : It defends the city threatened by
protected gates, some of them by draw-bridges.armed gangs coming from the French kingdom.
On the northern side called "Winter" by Vauban- 1516 : Visit by Francis I. Bayard' troops are stationed
(1633-1707) due to its cold temperature, only threethere.
remodelled ones are numbered in the XIXth century.- 1562 : The Religious Wars set Provence ablaze. Its
These works attributed without any ground, to Jeanindependence is at stake.
Erard are most likely the work of Jehan Sarrazin- 1639 : Richelieu puts prince Jean Casimir Vasa in the
engineer of king in the second part of the XVIthdungeon. He had plotted with Spain against France.
century. In 1692, following the invasion of the upper- 1692 : After the invasion of the Upper Durance by
Durance valley by the duke of Savoie Victor Amedeethe duke of Savoie Victor Amedee II, Vauban "
II (1675-1730), Vauban conceived a vast defencemeasures " the fort. From his project, only the
project for the city and the fortress. Of thatpowder store and a well would be built.
ambitious plan, only the construction of the powder- 1815 - March 5 : It worries Napoleon on his way
store and of a well (on the northern side) wasback from the Isle of Elba. It could have stopped him
carried out (for lack of funds-an already existingand put an end to the epic. Short of gunpowder, its
problem).twenty guns let the emperor and his 1200 soldiers go
From 1842 to 1860 (Savoie and the Nice Countyby.
were not French yet), some final touches were- 1944 - July : The Resistance sets free the political
aimed at updating the Citadel. Referring to the neverprisoners detained there.
forgotten recommendations by Vauban, the rampart- 1944 -August 15 : The Citadel is seriously damaged
walls were raised, the two carter's gates of theduring the bombing of the city by the allied
South side were opened. In the North, the secondforces.1956 : An association (A.T.M.) takes charge of
wall was remodelled, a cistern installed to collect thethe restoration of the Citadel. Restoration and
rain water. Casemates were erected and protectedenhancement have been going on since then under
by escarps. The giant underground staircase was builtthe aegis of the city and the supervision of the
connecting the fortress to the northern gate of theHistoric Monument Commission.