Fort Douaumont (French: Fort de Douaumont, pronounced [fɔʁ də dwomɔ̃]) was the largest and highest fort on the ring of 19 large defensive works which had protected the city of Verdun, France, since the 1890s.

The Battle of Verdun took place where it did because the French fortress of Verdun, with its surrounding fortifications along the Meuse River, threatened the main German communication lines. The fortress also represented a prominent point in the French defenses, and its loss would have been an enormous blow to French morale.

Verdun was the strongest point in pre-war France, ringed by a string of powerful forts, including Douaumont and Fort Vaux. By 1916, the salient at Verdun jutted into the German lines and lay vulnerable to attack from three sides.

Perched 388 meters above sea level, the Fort of Douaumont commands the landscape, situated just 2 kilometers west of the village bearing its name. Originally constructed in 1885 under the supervision of General Séré de Rivières, this formidable fortress underwent significant enhancements in 1888.

Nov 24, 2020 · Fort Douaumont was one of the strongest, most state of the art forts in France at the time of the First World War. However, in 1916, it was destroyed during the Battle of Verdun and today it lies in ruins.

Feb 12, 2018 · When the German army attacked Verdun, France, on Feb. 21, 1916, it ran up against a ring of 18 large forts and 23 smaller strongpoints the French called ouvrages. During the 10-month campaign, two of the major forts—Douaumont and Vaux—fell, yet the battles for each could not have been more different.

Mar 24, 2019 · "IN THIS FORTRESS REST 679 GERMAN SOLDIERS WHO WERE KILLED IN THE NIGHT OF 7 TO 8 MAY 1916 BY AN EXPLOSION IN THE MUNITION DEPOT." A view at the south-east front of the fort. Before we explore more of the exterior of the fortress, and more of the impressive top of this construction ... ... we first visit ... the Interior of Fort de Douaumont.

Fort Douaumont is a relic of the First World War. It is one of the most powerful works and symbols of the Battle of Verdun. More than a flashback, a visit here really plunges us in the heart of a legendary confrontation, and tells us more about those heros who lost their lives there.

May 26, 2024 · This once-mighty fortress, the pride of France‘s eastern defenses, bore witness to some of the most relentless, bloody fighting of the entire conflict during the infamous Battle of Verdun in 1916.

The keystone and an integral part of the Verdun defences, Fort Douaumont was taken by surprise just 4 days after the start of the Battle of Verdun. It was occupied for 8 months by the German army who used it as a protective shelter for its men and …