Citadelle de Corte

The Citadelle de Corte rises on a rocky spur above the old town, and it is the only inland citadel in Corsica, set high in the mountainous centre of the island instead of on the coast like the fortresses that the Genoese built to guard their ports. It stands at the junction of the Tavignano and Restonica valleys, with the old quarter of Corte clustered on the slope below it and the high peaks of the interior behind. The position made it a natural stronghold for those who wanted to control the routes through the mountains, and it is closely tied to the island's struggle for independence.

The oldest part, the Nid d'Aigle, or Eagle's Nest, was built in 1419 by Vincentello d'Istria, a Corsican nobleman who ruled the island as viceroy for the Aragonese crown. This small castle sits on a prominent rock above the town and is the best-known image of the citadel. The fortress was extended over the following centuries into a larger complex with several levels of defence, made up of walls, bastions and barracks. The Genoese, the Aragonese and later the French all fought over it. In the 1750s and 1760s, when Pasquale Paoli led the Corsican Republic, the citadel was a key part of his capital. In 1769, after the battle of Ponte Novu ended Corsican resistance, French forces under the Count of Vaux took Corte and the citadel passed into French hands.

The French used it as a military site for the next two centuries. The barracks, built in the nineteenth century, were used by soldiers, and the citadel remained a garrison for a long time, serving the Foreign Legion until the early 1980s. The old prisons are among the features that visitors can still see. After the military left, the site was reorganised, and the barracks now house the Musée de la Corse, which covers the ethnography and history of the island, while temporary art exhibitions use other spaces. The museum is described on the page for Corte Old Town.

Walking through the citadel, you climb stairways and passages with views over the old town, the valleys and the mountains, and the viewpoint known as the Belvédère gives one of the best panoramas of the area. Wear sturdy shoes, as the ground is steep and the stone paving is uneven. The citadel can be hot in summer and windy in winter.

It suits history lovers, walkers and photographers. Allow a couple of hours. The Gorges du Tavignano and the Parc Naturel Régional de Corse start only a short distance from the town.