Citadel of Dinant, Military fortress museum on a cliff in Dinant, Belgium.
The fortification rises 328 feet (100 meters) above the Meuse River with stone ramparts, bastions, underground passages, and barracks designed to accommodate artillery positions and troops during 19th and 20th century military campaigns.
Dutch military engineers constructed the present structure between 1818 and 1821 atop foundations of earlier fortifications dating to the 11th century. German forces destroyed portions during the 1914 invasion and occupied the complex again from 1940 to 1944.
The site preserves documentation of civilian experiences during both world wars and serves as a memorial to local residents who endured occupation, bombardment, and military operations along the Meuse valley.
Visitors reach the complex by climbing 408 steps or boarding a cable car from downtown. Guided tours through underground tunnels and exhibition rooms last approximately 90 minutes. A café with an observation terrace overlooking the river valley operates on site.
A collapsed air raid shelter from World War I remains preserved showing the exact condition after German artillery struck, including buried equipment and structural damage that has remained unchanged for over a century.
Location: Dinant
Architects: Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban
Website: https://citadellededinant.be/en
GPS coordinates: 50.26170,4.91339
Latest update: November 27, 2025 20:54
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