Entrance to the Fort of Mutzig in Alsace

Have you ever heard of the Fort of Mutzig? With your family, your partner or your friends, come and discover the first modern fortification in history during a free visit. 20 minutes from Strasbourg, on the heights of Dinsheim-sur-Bruche, this amazing architectural, technical and military site will make you live a moment of the history of Alsace .

From its original name FesteKaiser Wilhelm II, this unique military work in Europe is the first concrete, armored and electrified fortification. Built by the Germans on the commune of Mutzig in Alsace, it required a quarter of a century of work (1893-1918)and sheltered a garrison of 7,000 soldiers over the years. Thus, it is the largest and most powerful fort in Europe in 1914 with 50 buildings and 22 heavy guns, all spread over a surface of 254 hectares.

During this visit, you will not only explore a giant fortress, but you will also discover the living conditions of the soldiers during the First World War. Equipped with a leaflet (in French, German or English), you will cross narrow galleries and climb several staircases which will lead you to the various spaces which constituted their daily life: the rooms, the kitchens, the wells, the power station, the hospital... Indeed, the Fort of Mutzig is the only fortification in the world, of before 1914, to have the completeness of its original equipments.

Asyou can see, the visit of this site, which today represents a symbol of peace and Franco-German reconciliation, promises to be particularly enriching and moving. A little advice: bring a small sweater, asit is quite cool inside the fort.