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THE St Christopher's Cathedral

  The St Christopher's Cathedral

This handsome construction in pink sandstone was built in the Classical style; its façade is embellished with two towers (the south tower was not completed until 1845).

In 1727 the city of Belfort decided to erect a monumental structure to replace the old Saint Denis collegiate church which had become too small; it would be placed along the eastern side of the canal at the edge of Old Town.
Construction was entrusted to the entrepreneur Henri Schuller, who executed the draughts prepared by Jacques Mareschal, a Royal Ordinary Engineer.

Work at the site was plagued by many material challenges and was not completed until 23 years later. In 1750, the church was opened for worship.

From 1740 to 1749, many skilled craftsmen were called on to tend to the church's furnishings and décor. Franche-Comté native Antoine Cupillard sculpted designs for the interior; the original wooden high altar was replaced in 1793 by the marble high altar from the Dominican church in Guebwiller.
The statues were created by Massol and Neumann. Matthias Chapuis, a master locksmith in Giromagny, made the choir gates. They were replaced in 1864 after having been uninstalled and repurposed during the Revolution. Finally, in 1749 J. C. Valtrin was commissioned to build the pipe organ.

In 1843, thanks to the efforts of Deputy Bellonet, the French government offered Belfort a major painting by native son Gustave Dauphin which depicted "the final preparations for Christ's sepulchre".
The building was registered as an Historic Monument in 1930, but it was not until 1979 and the creation of the bishopric of Belfort-Montbéliard, that it took on the title of cathedral.

THE "Quand-même" STATUE

The "Quand-Même" statue located right in front of St Christopher's Cathedral was sculpted by Antonin Mercié (1845-1916).
The artist portrayed an Alsatian woman in traditional clothing; one of her hands supports a fallen man while the other brandishes his rifle as she turns toward the authors of such misfortune.
The base of the sculpture features the medallions of Thiers, who did not want to give Belfort to Germany, and Colonel Denfert-Rochereau, who triumphantly defended it.

JULES HEIDET SCHOOL, FORMER CEREALS EXCHANGE

This was the site of the Cereals Exchange, a marketplace during the Middle Ages.

A first building—destroyed in 1567—was replaced by a new structure with a market on the ground floor and an Austrian administrative residence on the upper floor.
In 1659 this level became the baronial hall of the Duchess of Mazarin, as well as the bailiwick's courtroom.
Around 1799-1800, the structure became the Sub-Prefecture Office then a courthouse in 1811.
It was purchased from the Mazarin family in 1827; the top floor became a secondary school while the ground floor served as stables for the cavalry regiment.
After extensive restoration work, in 1845 the entire building became a secondary school.
Since 1874, it has been home to a public school. From 1880 to 1910, a teacher training school was also annexed.
The Place des Bourgeois school was renamed after Jules Heidet in 1948 to commemorate the former headmaster who fought in the Resistance and was deported.
Inside the courtyard you can see a bell dating to 1604 which belonged to the old St. Denis collegiate church.

THREE SIEGES MONUMENT

On 13 April 1901, the city council decided to erect a monument to the memory of Colonel Denfert-Rochereau on one of the city's squares.

The deputy mayor turned to Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi. The artist wanted to pay homage to Belfort's defender of 1870-1871 and to General Lecourbe, who supported the siege of 1815, and Commandant Legrand, who protected the city in 1813-1815. Bartholdi died before completing his design.

It then took all the tenacity of his widow to triumph over the city, which sought to annul its contract with the artist, and ensure the sculpture be finished by sculptors Noël and Dechin. It was inaugurated on 15 August 1913.

On the highest pedestal, France wears a helmet and affectionately places her hand on the shoulder of a young woman who represents Belfort, her sword still in hand.

The citizens of Belfort call it the "Three Liars Monument". Do you know why? Lecourbe is standing straight as an arrow, Legrand was of modest height and Denfert is not made of iron because the sculpted group was cast in bronze.

ERNEST PIGNON OUTDOOR MURAL

This mural depicts an allegorical dialogue between the Latin and Germanic civilisations whose confluence is in the Territoire de Belfort. The work portrays 46 people who have distinguished themselves through their thoughts, acts or creations.

Note that this synthetic, rot-proof canvas, which was glued to the wall in 1988, was meant to be temporary.

A list of the persons depicted is available at the Maison du Tourisme de Belfort.

LA PORTE DE BRISACH

The Porte de Brisach (1687-1703) is an entrance through the fortifications which grants access to the heart of Old Town; it was designed by Vauban in 1687.

The section above the door of the Porte de Brisach is embellished with a central medallion bearing three fleur-de-lis bordered by flags and trophies. The date 1687 is inscribed above it. The pediment is engraved with a sun, the symbol of Louis XIV, and his motto, "Nec pluribus impar" ("not unequal to many"). The Porte de Brisach and its surroundings were registered as Historic Monuments in 1907 and 1913.

THE Fréry Market

Frery Market

The decision to create a market on land obtained through the decommissioning of the fortifications dates to 1902. Municipal architect Eugène Lux was tasked with developing the project adopted in 1903 by the City Council.
In 1904, the Schwartz et Meurercompany company, makers of the gates of the Grand Palais and Serres Monumentales in Paris, were chosen to build the market.                                              

Completed in 1905, it was inaugurated with much fanfare by the Lyre Belfortaine music ensemble. This market, a triumph of balance and airiness, used the very first metal construction techniques. Its height of 16 metres harbours 2258 m² of usable surface area (of which 1% forms the supporting elements). The façade is decorated in a decidedly "Fin de Siècle" style.

The market has been listed on the "Supplemental Registry of Historic Monuments" since 1983.

It is a great spot to stock up on regional specialities! Hours of operation: Friday and Saturday morning.

THE TOUR DES BOURGEOIS

   Tour des Bourgeois

Because Belfort obtained its Franchise Charter in 1307, the burghers had to assume full responsibility for maintaining and guarding the rampart, as well as defending the city in times of war.

A major element in its defensive system, the Tour des Bourgeois ("Burghers' Tower") served to link the medieval perimeter and the castle and to fend off any attack launched from Justice hill.

In 1579, Daniel Specklin planned to destroy it, but his project did not come to fruition. In 1687, Vauban included it in his plans for the city's fortifications, but removed its moat and added two half-bastions.

DELLE: MAISON PHELTIN - CURRENT CITY HALL

Maison Pheltin

Before becoming the current city hall, the house belonged to the Feltin family, one of whose members became Cardinal-Archibishop of Paris (Maurice Feltin, 1883-1975). The house, which backs up to a high wall, was built in 1581 by provost-bailiff Louis Lourdel on the site of a medieval building which probably dated from the 14th century. In the corner of the stair turret, one can see a plaque bearing two hammered coats of arms and the date of construction, accompanied by the builder's motto, SEQVITVR FORTVNA LABOREM: "Work begets wealth". After falling into the hands of one of the city's rich bourgeois, Henri Boug, a barrister at the Sovereign Council of Alsace, the house was modified extensively in 1725-1726. The interior design was completely reworked; the transom windows disappeared; the gate with its columns was relocated to another position on the façade; and the city wall between the house and the château's terrace was replaced by a simple wall buttressed by the gallery and the square tower housing the latrines. Finally, French-style gardens were created in front of the house all the way to the corner of the Grande-Rue. Purchased in 1770 by a family of farmers from Upper Doubs, it remained unchanged until the city acquired it in 1993. The former barns, built in 1881, were restored in 2001.

CHURCH OF SAINTS PETER AND PAUL IN FROIDEFONTAINE

L'Eglise de Froidefontaine

The priory at Froidefontaine owes its creation to the legend of Saint Maimbœuf, who is said to have been assassinated in the eighth or ninth century by heathens near the cold fountain ("froide fontaine") by which he was buried. The miracles that later occurred near his tomb made such an impression on the area's residents that on 8 March 1105, Ermentrude, widow of Thierry I, Count of Montbéliard-Ferrette, gave the Cluny Abbey her Froidefontaine land to found a church.

Its remarkable features are the central nave, the nine stained glass windows, the Roman-style apse, the bell dating to 1682 and the tombstone (1527) found in the nave.

GIROMAGNY - MAISON MAZARIN

Though privately owned today, it once housed the Mining Courthouse founded in 1564. It was built in 1561 by the Bailiff of Mazarin, Lord of Belfort.

The cardinal made his niece Hortense Mancini the primary heir of his lands, which included the Giromagny mines, provided that her future husband took the Mazarin name.

Mazarin never came to this estate, which was modified many times over subsequent centuries.

The city has no fewer than 14 fountains and wash fountains, which are included in the Fountain Trail, an abundance envied by neighbouring towns in the early 19th century.

SAINT DIZIER L'EVEQUE

Saint Dizier l'Eveque church

This is one of the oldest churches in Franche-Comté. In the seventh century, the same site once hosted a chapel or oratory dedicated to St Martin of Tours. It is named for Bishop Desiderius. In the late seventh century, on his way back from a pilgrimage to Rome, he said a mass in this chapel. Thieves who had seen the precious vases used during the mass assassinated the bishop (who became known as Saint Dizier in French) to strip him of them; they also murdered his deacon Regnifirum (Reinfroid) and inflicted a head wound on his servant Willibert. Just before dying, Saint Dizier miraculously healed the latter. The chapel took the name of the two martyrs, who were quickly canonised. This Roman-style church was built on the site of the chapel and was consecrated in 1041 by Hugues de Salins, archbishop of Besançon. It has since undergone many renovations, but it has retained the ancient roman wall and St Dizier's sarcophagus from this era. As for the sacristy, it houses the cenotaph, which is also known as the Stone of Fools for its ability to treat mental illness. There is yet another legend about the St Dizier region: the one about the Devil's Footsteps.