Ciutadella de Roses

Ciutadella de Roses
	Portal and curtain wall
Alternative name (s):	Ciudadela de Rosas
Creation time :	16th Century
Place:	Roses
Geographical location	42 ° 16 ′ 1 " N , 3 ° 10 ′ 12" E Coordinates: 42 ° 16 ′ 1 " N , 3 ° 10 ′ 12" E

The Ciutadella de Roses ( Catalan ; Spanish Ciudadela de Rosas ; 'Citadel of Roses') is a military fortress from the 16th century in the city of Roses and an important archaeological site from different eras.

Location and construction

The Citadella de Roses is right within the city. The area, reinforced with a five-pointed fortress wall, encloses 131,480 square meters. The citadel with its imposing entrance gate Porta de Mar ('Gate of the Sea') was built in 1543 according to plans by the engineer Luigi Pizano from Padua in the Renaissance style.

history

After Roses was repeatedly attacked and looted by North African pirates , Emperor Charles V decided to fortify the strategically important coastal town militarily . The fortification of Roses in 1543 was also intended to be a bulwark against the warring French who were near the border. A year later, this military fortification complex was expanded with the construction of the Castell de la Trinitat castle above the Bay of Roses. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, Roses and its military fortifications were repeatedly the scene of bloody siege and conquest campaigns by the French and Austrians. The last occupation took place in 1808 under Napoleon Bonaparte .

Archaeological dig site

The siege of Ciutadella de Roses in 1645: the deployment of French troops according to a plan by Sébastien de Beaulieu

Within the defensive walls of the Citadella de Roses , remains from the following time periods have been uncovered and preserved:

Hellenistic settlement, with finds and remains of the city wall of the Greek settlement Rhode founded by the Rhodians in 776 BC ( Greek Ῥόδη , Latin Rhoda ; in particular excavation pieces from the fourth and third centuries BC).

Roman district, with remains of buildings and walls from the second to sixth centuries BC.

Medieval city wall and building remains of the Romanesque - Lombard monastery of Santa Maria de Roses from the 11th century.

Ruins of military buildings and fortifications from the 16th and 17th centuries.

Archaeological remains from the 19th century.

Conservation and current use

The Citadella de Roses was listed as a historical monument in 1961. Gaps in the fortress wall are being closed as part of the ongoing restoration of the entire complex with exposed brickwork and steel structures, which blend in with the overall structure in a modern and color-coordinated manner. The ruins of the medieval Santa Maria monastery from the 11th century are used as a stage backdrop for music events and other open-air performances. On the area of the citadel - adjacent to the entrance portal Porta de Mar - a modern and multimedia history museum was established, which presents archaeological finds and background material to the public. Two other halls within the museum building are used to display changing artistic objects, to feed visitors and to present souvenirs for sale .

gallery

Medieval wall inside the citadel
Bay window in the fortress wall
Ruins of the Santa Maria monastery and open-air theater
Fortifications

literature

Pablo de la Fuente: Les fortificacions reials del golf de Roses en l'època moderna . Brau-Ajuntament de Roses, Figueres 1998.
Carlos Díaz, Hug Palou and Anna M. Puig: La Ciutadella de Roses . 1998.
Josep Tarrús, Aurora Martín i Xavier Nieto: La Ciutadella de Roses . In: Annals de l'Institut d'Estudis Empordanesos , 22nd year, 1989, pp. 313-332.
Joan Vicens: El Museu de la Ciutadella de Roses, una realitat necessària . In: Revista de Girona , No. 225, 2004, p. 6.

Web links

Commons : Ciutadella de Roses - Collection of images, videos and audio files