Construction of the citadel began in 1550 under the Duke of Savoy for a project by Charles Quint. It is a precocious example of a buttressed fortification, and its role was to defend the county. Acquired by the city in 1965, it now houses the Mayor's office, the museums and a conference hall. THE VOLTI MUSEUM FOUNDATION: In the heart of the Villefranche Citadel, approximately one hundred women in bronze, copper, and terracotta deploy their voluptuous curves in a niche of rough stone: the VOLTI donation benefits from an exceptional decor and presentation that make it a unique artistic ensemble. THE GOETZ-BOUMEESTER COLLECTION: A hundred works by Christine Boumeester and Henri Goetz, ranging from the figurative to the abstract, are exhibited as well as several souvenir works by great contemporary masters (Picasso, Picabia, Miro, Hartung). THE ROUX COLLECTION: Three hundred historical figurines in polychrome ceramic describe daily life during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.