Fort du Mont Bart
Encyclopedia
Fort du Mont Bart is located to the south of Montbéliard
, France
. It was built between November 1874 and July 1877 as part of the Séré de Rivières system
of fortifications. The fort overlooks the valleys of the Doubs and the Allan at an elevation of 497 metres (1,630.6 ft), standing to the south and rear of the fortified region of Belfort
and in control of the road to Besançon
. The fort was intended to augment the Belfort fortifications and to prevent an enemy from bypassing them.
The most striking feature of the Fort du Mont Bart is its "interior street", originally constructed in the open air as a sunken court, then covered before World War I
with reinforced concrete.
of 1870, and increased as a result of the loss of Alsace
and Lorraine
as a result of the war. The defenses of France had to be reconsidered in light of the changes in France's frontiers and in view of advances in artillery during the second half of the 19th century. The new fort was planned to respond to these new developments and to support the neighboring fortification systems.
s. The central barracks is sunken into the earth and encircled by firing positions on the surface of the fort. The fort's surface was originally armed with four 155mm and five 120mm guns, with one 138mm gun. Four 220 mm mortars completed the exposed armament. Casemates were armed with one 155mm Mougin gun and four 138mm guns, with smaller arms defending the fort's walls, and a separate battery with four 95mm guns. By 1914 the surface armament had been augmented with four 90mm guns and an additional three 120mm guns. Revolving guns defended the fort. The fort was entered via a drawbridge.
Mont Bart covers a surface area of about 3.5 hectares (8.6 acre). The fort's stonework came from the Bavans quarry at the foot of the massif.
In 1940 the fort was manned by troops of the 159th Position Artillery Regiment (RAP), part of the Defensive Sector of Montbéliard under the French 8th Army, Army Group 3. From 16 March 1940 the SD Montbéliard became the Fortified Sector of Montbéliard
.
During the second world war
the fort was stripped of its armament. It remained occupied by the military until the 1960s, when it was abandoned. It is presently owned by the Montbéliard regional government and is under restoration.
Montbéliard
Montbéliard is a city in the Doubs department in the Franche-Comté region in eastern France. It is one of the two subprefectures of the department.-History:...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. It was built between November 1874 and July 1877 as part of the Séré de Rivières system
Séré de Rivières system
The Séré de Rivières system was an ensemble of fortifications built from 1874 and first used at the beginning of the First World War along the frontiers and coasts of France...
of fortifications. The fort overlooks the valleys of the Doubs and the Allan at an elevation of 497 metres (1,630.6 ft), standing to the south and rear of the fortified region of Belfort
Fortified region of Belfort
The fortified region of Belfort formed the first line of defense in the Séré de Rivières system of fortifications in the Belfort Gap...
and in control of the road to Besançon
Besançon
Besançon , is the capital and principal city of the Franche-Comté region in eastern France. It had a population of about 237,000 inhabitants in the metropolitan area in 2008...
. The fort was intended to augment the Belfort fortifications and to prevent an enemy from bypassing them.
The most striking feature of the Fort du Mont Bart is its "interior street", originally constructed in the open air as a sunken court, then covered before World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
with reinforced concrete.
Strategic position
The strategic importance of the Belfort fortification system became apparent in the Franco-Prussian WarFranco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
of 1870, and increased as a result of the loss of Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
and Lorraine
Lorraine (région)
Lorraine is one of the 27 régions of France. The administrative region has two cities of equal importance, Metz and Nancy. Metz is considered to be the official capital since that is where the regional parliament is situated...
as a result of the war. The defenses of France had to be reconsidered in light of the changes in France's frontiers and in view of advances in artillery during the second half of the 19th century. The new fort was planned to respond to these new developments and to support the neighboring fortification systems.
Description
The pentagonal fort is surrounded by a ditch, which is traversed by fire from the caponierCaponier
A caponier is a type of fortification structure. The word originates from the French word "caponnière" - which strictly means capon-cote i.e. chickenhouse.The fire coming from the feature A caponier is a type of fortification structure. The word originates from the French word "caponnière" -...
s. The central barracks is sunken into the earth and encircled by firing positions on the surface of the fort. The fort's surface was originally armed with four 155mm and five 120mm guns, with one 138mm gun. Four 220 mm mortars completed the exposed armament. Casemates were armed with one 155mm Mougin gun and four 138mm guns, with smaller arms defending the fort's walls, and a separate battery with four 95mm guns. By 1914 the surface armament had been augmented with four 90mm guns and an additional three 120mm guns. Revolving guns defended the fort. The fort was entered via a drawbridge.
Mont Bart covers a surface area of about 3.5 hectares (8.6 acre). The fort's stonework came from the Bavans quarry at the foot of the massif.
History
The fort was modernized in 1889 with a magazine excavated within the rock of the foundations. In 1913-1914 the fort was reinforced with 1.65 metres (5.4 ft) of reinforced concrete over the central barracks and court, uniquely in the Séré de Rivières system. A second Mougin casemate was proposed in 1878, but never carried out.In 1940 the fort was manned by troops of the 159th Position Artillery Regiment (RAP), part of the Defensive Sector of Montbéliard under the French 8th Army, Army Group 3. From 16 March 1940 the SD Montbéliard became the Fortified Sector of Montbéliard
Fortified Sector of Montbéliard
The Fortified Sector of Montbéliard was the French military organization that in 1940 controlled the section of the French border with Switzerland in the vicinity of Montbéliard. The Montbéliard sector stands in the vicinity of the Belfort Gap, a traditional invasion route into eastern France...
.
During the second world war
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the fort was stripped of its armament. It remained occupied by the military until the 1960s, when it was abandoned. It is presently owned by the Montbéliard regional government and is under restoration.
External links
- Fort du Mont Bart official site
- Fort du Mont Bart at Chemins de mémoire
- Fort du Mont Bart at Fortiff' Séré