Visit to Citadelle de Montmedy

 Wednesday 23 July

A rest day today but including a visit to the citadel which is high up just behind us.  To pay the €4 each to go in to explore it fully was well worth it.  We learnt about the history in the museum - that an original castle was built in the 13C by counts who ruled part of Belgium and Luxembourg, then through marriages, it fell into the hands of the Duchy of Luxembourg, then the Duchy of Burgundy, then the Kingdom of Spain.  So in 16C the emporor decided to build a citadel.  But in 1657 Louis XIV as a 19-yr-old king of France, decided to take back various sites from the Spaniards.  It took 57 days but with his 20,000 Frenchmen against 800, Montmedy became French! 

Wars since then have destroyed various parts of the buildings, but the ramparts are still intact and we walked all the way around, discovering more of the history and enjoying the amazing views.

 



But some buildings are in need of a little TLC...

.... glad we didn't book lunch here either.

 

 This is where we had our lunch.  Was good!

 

 

 A visit to the church - not so old as replaced after the original was destroyed in the Prussian War. There was an unusual art exhibition of various hangings made using farm machinery and sometimes helped by animals walking over them!

 

 

 And a quiet sit down in the square by the fountain. 


It had been a rather dull day, but quite warm and we were pleased to relax in sunshine when we returned to our site.  Pastures new tomorrow.







 

 


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