Cittadella of Alessandria
| Cittadella of Alessandria | |
|---|---|
Cittadella di Alessandria | |
| Alessandria, Italy | |
Armoury in the Cittadella | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Star fort |
| Owner | Agenzia del demanio |
| Controlled by | Ministry of Culture |
| Open to the public | Yes |
| Condition | Intact |
| Location | |
| 1846 map of the Cittadella and its outworks | |
| Coordinates | 44°55′14.6″N 8°36′25.3″E / 44.920722°N 8.607028°E |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1732–1808 |
| Built by | Kingdom of Sardinia |
| In use | 1740s–2007 |
| Materials | Stone Brick Earthwork Concrete |
| Battles/wars | War of the Austrian Succession Italian Campaign Risorgimento World War II |
| Garrison information | |
| Garrison | Royal Sardinian Army Austrian Army of Italy French Army of Italy Royal Italian Army Italian Army |
| Occupants | 3rd Mountain Infantry Division Ravenna |
The Cittadella of Alessandria (Italian: Cittadella di Alessandria) is a star fort and citadel in the city of Alessandria, Italy. It was built in the 18th century by the Kingdom of Sardinia, and today it is one of the best preserved fortifications of that era. It is one of the few fortifications in Europe still in their original environment, since there are no buildings blocking the views of the ramparts, or a road that surrounds the ditches.
On 10 March 1821, during the Piedmont insurrection, the blue, red and black tricolour of the Carbonari was raised on the Cittadella's bastions by Colonel Ansaldi. This was the first use of a tricolour flag in the history of Italy.
The Cittadella has been Italy's tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 2006.