The Fort de Roppe is located at the summit of a hill near the town of
Roppe, to the north of Belfort. It was sited to control the road to
Colmar in co-operation with the fort at
Giromagny, as well as the road to
Basel, to protect the
Fort de Bessoncourt's flank, and to support
Fort du Salbert. The rectangular fort initially mounted fifty artillery pieces and was garrisoned by more than 650 men. The guns were mounted in the open air on top of the ramparts and in a
casemate. Three more batteries were located in the immediate vicinity of the fort. The armament of the fort varied considerably from year to year. In 1886 the fort mounted four 155mm long guns, five 138mm guns, nine 120mm long guns, two 220mm mortars, and several smaller weapons. The fort's water needs were met by a well and a cistern. The magazine could hold 154 tons of powder. Initial construction cost was 1,875,917 francs d'or.
Improvements In 1889 an underground troop shelter was constructed just outside the perimeter to the southwest. From 1893 the fort was linked to other forts around Belfort via the
Chemins de fer du Territoire de Belfort strategic railroad. Underground galleries shielded with concrete were built beneath the fort during the
First World War. These galleries connected various portions of the fort to the troop shelter, which was itself concreted. Additional improvements included a 155 mm gun turret, three machine gun turrets, an additional casemate and shelters on the ramparts. The neighborhood of the fort received more batteries, a 75 mm turret, infantry shelters and a battery with two 155 mm gun turrets, the last never completed. The new gun turrets, located to the east of the main fort, were connected to the main fort by extensions to the underground galleries. ==World War II and present status==