The eighteenth century star fortress
On the left bank of the Tanaro, facing the city of Alessandria, the Cittadella is one of the largest and best preserved eighteenth century fortresses in Europe. It was built from 1732 by the Savoy, at the wish of King Charles Emmanuel III, to a design by the military engineer Ignazio Bertola, after Alessandria had passed to the Kingdom of Sardinia; to make room for it, the entire old district of Bergoglio was demolished. The fortress has the shape of an elongated hexagonal star, with six bastions, ravelins, moats and counterguards, and covers an area of about 74 hectares.
Over the centuries it had a leading role in history: it was occupied by Napoleon's troops, who strengthened it and made Alessandria one of the main strongholds of their system in Italy; during the Risorgimento it was the scene of the patriotic movements of 1821 and 1833; and it was used by the army until 2007. Inside the walls are preserved the great barracks, the arsenal, the powder magazines, the church and the parade ground. Today, partly restored, it is open to the public with guided tours and hosts the museum of military uniforms and historical re-enactments, such as the commemoration of the battle of Marengo, fought in 1800 a few kilometres away. The fortress is on the Italian tentative list for UNESCO.
Tip: check the opening days before you go, as visits are mostly at weekends; combine it with the Borsalino Museum in the city centre.
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