At the Museum of Corsica, the exhibition “Una Citadella di Orizonte” shows the monument like never before. From its origins to its future, the visitor enters the intimacy of a unique and emblematic citadel
After months of closure, the Musée de la Corse has reopened. For everyone, this is an opportunity to (re) discover the current exhibition, “Una Citadella di Orizonte”.
An exhibition mounted more thematically than chronologically and resulting from the works of Gérard Giorgetti. Professor of history in Corte and in preparatory class in Bastia, the man, curator of the exhibition and member of its scientific council, is above all an enthusiast who has been working on the subject for thirty years.
” At the beginning, he says, there is a discovery. Then along the way, documents arrive. At the time, army documents were in the archives of Bastia. Today, they are grouped together in Vincennes and I think I have stripped them entirely! “
The peculiarity of the exhibition “Una Citadella di Orizonte” is the alliance it makes between tradition and modernity, between the development of documents and 2.0 technologies.
The visit begins inside the museum where different themes are presented which approach the subject from all angles. “These documents come from the historical Defense service. We have digitized the 220 plans – handmade and watercolor – that concern Corte. You should know that at the time, the officers made regular reports, so that we have a good follow-up of the monument, until the abandonment of the fortifications in 1880. ”
Models and a chronological frieze show it as a whole, place it in the perspective of History.
Then the visitor continues on his way outside and takes the old rampart walkway, which had never been opened to the public. There, the XXIe century marries past times and smartphones are becoming vectors of ancient knowledge.
“There are nine augmented reality terminals on the route, explains Marion Trannoy, museum director and exhibition curator. They indicate the places where the visitor can discover a part of the story or a character. “ A QR Code gives access to content that shows one of the members of the scientific council speaking on a specific topic. Realized in 360 °, the video allows a total immersion.
Unique in France or even in Europe
And the visit with Gérard Giorgetti brings an additional dimension. Because from the great History to the little anecdote, he knows every nook and cranny of the monument. ” The Citadel, he explains, is the only one in France, even in Europe, to have three levels of defense, the Padoue barracks, the Serrurier barracks (today the museum, note) and the castle. “
We are then in the XVIIIe century. The only entrance to the citadel is on the Palazzu Naziunale side (the one that exists today opposite was created much later by the Foreign Legion). The enemy troops who planned to take the fort – if they managed to enter – then had only a narrow, steep staircase to access the second level. Now at the top of this staircase, you could hoist a cannon, directed downwards. And Gérard Giorgetti points to the deep cut that the traction chain left in the stone of the highest step. “The goal was to last fifty days and 600 soldiers were housed in the Padua barracks. As with everything else, we thought big, because we feared invasions and we had to hold out long enough for reinforcements to have time to arrive from the Continent. “
But we must not forget that at this time, the citadel is already 300 years old. And today, nothing remains of the first construction, that of Vincentello d’Istria. Because the castle as we know it today is made up of Genoese fortifications. “We know where the dungeon is, explains Gérard Giorgetti, but nothing remains. “” We hope that an archaeological site can see the light of day, abounds Marion Trannoy, to find the foundations. “
Give it a future
Between this genesis and the time of the French, “The castle has been taken over several times”. Besides, with each change of regime, “The newcomer wanted to take control of the citadel”.
The symbolic dimension is in addition to the military dimension. Corte, the capital of Paoli and independent Corsica, is a key issue.
Available in seven keywords – fortify, dream, claim, build, complete, museograph, reinvent – the exhibition was launched at the time of the 600th anniversary of the eagle’s nest. And it is part of a much larger project – called Citadella XXI – to (re) enhance the whole site.
A multi-year program, funded under the IEP *. “With an architectural firm, explains Marion Trannoy, we have devised a master plan in several areas, in addition to the conservation and restoration program. Our objective with this exhibition is to present the citadel to people and to show perspectives. Reopening the walkway also gives a taste of what these new developments could be. “
A huge photo of the site shows the future: converting the Padua barracks into an innovative place, upgrading the northern access, improving the visit route, rehabilitating the Colonel’s house, restoring the powder store, transforming the new barracks into a workshop for contemporary creation, etc.
The major means will be set in motion so that this unique monument regains a place and an importance worthy of it.
Gérard Giorgetti concludes the visit: “The citadel of Corte was a dream that has come true. We wanted to do something impregnable, we dreamed of Corte as a fortified city larger than Montpellier. It was a utopia that became reality. In 1880, the fighting techniques had changed, the attack had taken over the defense, the fortifications were no longer useful and the premises were abandoned. “
The irony of all this?
“This citadel, which represented a real debauchery of resources, has never been attacked. “
* Exceptional investment plan
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