Belfort, Administrative division in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France
Belfort is a town in northeastern France nestled between the Vosges mountains and the Swiss border. The 17th-century citadel rises above the old town and provides sweeping views over the surrounding plain and hills.
The town remained French after the Franco-Prussian War, while Alsace-Lorraine was ceded to Germany. The territory gained status as a standalone department in 1922.
The red sandstone lion was carved between 1875 and 1880 by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi and commemorates the defense of the town during the siege from 1870 to 1871. This monumental lion measures 22 meters (72 feet) in length and 11 meters (36 feet) in height, dominating the hillside beneath the citadel.
The citadel sits on a hill above the old town and can be reached through several paths and staircases. Visitor centers and orientation panels are located at the base of the climb and around the main square.
The citadel was designed by Vauban, the famed military architect of Louis XIV, and served for centuries as a frontier fortress against Habsburg territories. Its star-shaped outer walls remain largely intact today and are open for walks.
Location: canton of Belfort-Centre
Location: canton of Belfort-Est
Location: canton of Belfort-Nord
Location: canton of Belfort-Ouest
Location: canton of Belfort-Sud
Location: arrondissement of Belfort
Location: Territoire de Belfort
Elevation above the sea: 414 m
Shares border with: Bavilliers, Cravanche, Danjoutin, Denney, Essert, Évette-Salbert, Offemont, Pérouse, Valdoie
Address: Belfort, France
Phone: +33384542424
Email: courrier@mairie-belfort.fr
Website: https://belfort.fr
GPS coordinates: 47.63750,6.86278
Latest update: December 14, 2025 21:22
Lion of Belfort
173 m
Belfort citadel
217 m
Gare de Belfort
811 m
Belfort Cathedral
140 m
Fort du Salbert
4.5 km
Fireball Recovery and InterPlanetary Observation Network
413 m
Monument des Trois Sièges de Belfort
185 m
Salbert
4.5 km
Musées de Belfort
159 m
Étang des forges
1.8 km
Ouvrage "G" de la D.A.T.
4.1 km
Grottes de Cravanche
3.2 km
Belfort Synagogue
463 m
Fort des Basses Perches
1.3 km
Prefecture hotel of Belfort
199 m
Gallo-roman temple of Offemont
2.4 km
Fort des Hautes Perches
1.4 km
Petite Fontaine, Belfort
245 m
Temple Saint-Jean de Belfort
475 m
Marché couvert de Belfort
389 m
Fanum de Montjustin
2.4 km
Tour 46
119 m
Habitat fortifié du bois de la Miotte
2.6 km
Wayside crosses in Offemont (1712)
2.7 km
Parc Francis Bédat (des daims)
2.5 km
Wayside crosses in Offemont (1716)
2.6 km
Maison (18 rue Metzger, Belfort)
48 m
Tour de la Miotte
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