Attractions and Places To See around Échavanne - Top 20

The Citadel of Belfort is a historically complex building, reflecting five centuries of fortifications. It was built after the conquest of the city in 1687, replacing a medieval castle that previously stood on this rocky outcrop.

The Lion is the symbol of the city of Belfort. All Belfort residents are proud of this pink sandstone colossus. The Citadel and the Lion of Belfort were voted the French people's favorite monument in 2020.

The lion is the largest stone statue in France. As a symbol and guardian of the city, it is also a visual landmark and even invites you to take a city safari. Info: https://www.belfort-tourisme.com/de/entdecken/die-highlights/der-loewe/

The Church of St. Christopher was designed by the engineer Philippe Mareschal and built from 1727 to replace the Saint-Denis Collegiate Church. It opened for worship in 1750. Its façade, in the classical style with superimposed Doric and Ionic colonnades, is decorated with a triangular pediment bearing the king's coat of arms and religious motifs. This ornamentation was partially altered after the siege of 1870-1871. The towers were built between 1784 and 1788 (north tower) and in 1845 (south tower). The large organ is the work of the postman J.-C. Valtrin and has been restored and modified several times, notably in 1971 by François and Joseph Calinet and Kurt Schwenkedel. It was declared a historic monument by decree of 28 January 1930, erected as a basilica in 1952, and became a cathedral in 1979 following the creation of the Diocese of Belfort-Montbéliard.

The name of Saint-CHRISTOPHE, to whom this cathedral (bishop's church) in Belfort is dedicated, means "Christ-bearer". According to the legend of the saint, he was a gigantic man and carried people across a river. One day a small child called to him and he carried it on his shoulders to the other bank. Amazingly, the child became heavier and he said he felt as if the weight of the whole world was on his shoulders. Then the child revealed himself to him as Jesus Christ, Savior and Redeemer of the world.

The Lion of Belfort is 11 meters high and 22 meters long and is the tallest stone monument in the country. It is best seen from the observation terrace, which is only open during the day. Admission costs €1 (as of 10/2024). The investment is worth it 👍.

Notre-Dame-du-Haut pilgrimage chapel, 1950 The Notre-Dame-du-Haut chapel in Ronchamp is the icon of Christian sacred architecture that revolutionized church building in the 20th century. The chapel is in a dominant position on a hill at the Burgundian Gate near Belfort. Apart from its rather bare summit, this hill is wooded, as are the neighboring hills. Le Corbusier took into account the trees, the views into the distance and the horizon line in his design. The basic features of the design for the chapel were created in just a few days: an asymmetrical building, curved walls, vaulted by a roof whose shape is reminiscent of the shell of a crab. The asymmetry broke with the traditional idea of a cruciform church floor plan. A unified church space was created, without a side or transept, which is nevertheless oriented towards the east.

In addition to the chapel, Le Corbusier built two smaller buildings, the guard's house and the pilgrim's house, which contains bedrooms and a kitchen. A step pyramid, also built from ruined stones and dedicated to the victims of the fighting in 1944, completes the architectural ensemble.