En un regard
Le château en bref
The Porte Rivotte guards the narrow passage between the Doubs and the rock of the citadel, at the northern entrance to Besançon's old town. Of medieval origin, it was reinforced in the first half of the 16th century at the initiative of Charles V, by the town authorities, and then fitted with a drawbridge between two towers with conical roofs. Rebuilt in its central section after the French conquest, it bears on its pediment the royal sun of Louis XIV. In 1893, the drawbridge and portcullis were removed, the moats were filled in, and pedestrian passages were cut through the towers. Along with the Porte Taillée, it was one of the last fortified entrances to the city.