Neuf-Brisach
A perfectly octagonal star-shaped fortress town designed by Vauban, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, located just across the Rhine from Breisach in France.
Neuf-Brisach was the last fortress town designed and built by Vauban, military engineer to King Louis XIV of France, beginning in 1698. The entire town forms a regular octagonal star. Its bastions, moats and ramparts are well preserved. In 2008, it was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the 'Fortifications of Vauban'. Inside the town, streets follow a grid pattern around a central parade square. You can walk the green path outside the walls in a loop of about 1 hour, and learn about the fortress's models and history at the Vauban Museum inside the Porte de Colmar. Entry to the town is free, and the museum charges a small fee. Getting there: about 4 kilometres from Breisach across the Rhine bridge, a 15-minute drive or bike ride. Buses between Breisach and Colmar also pass through. The town is in France, so bring your passport.
Opening hours
Old town open all day; Vauban Museum about April–October, closed Tuesdays
Nearby sights
- Breisach & St. Stephen's Minster
- Kaiserstuhl
- Staufen im Breisgau
- Vauban
- Europa-Park
- Martinstor
- Fischerau & Gerberau
- Rathausplatz Freiburg