Cittadella of Alessandria

About

When the cannon was invented, the effectiveness of medieval castles crumbled. Stone walls were no match for cannonballs. Instead, it was found that gently sloping walls would absorb the impact of cannon fire, and pointed bastions provided uninhibited field of fire. Soldiers could move around the fort in safety via paths behind them. Built, in 1732 the civilian population was displaced in favour of new military quarters in this star-shaped fort. Shortly after it was completed, the citadel was attacked by the French-Spanish army in 1745, and though not fully equipped, resisted them for seven months. On 10 March 1821, the garrison mutinied, and Colonel Ansaldi raised the blue, red and black tricolour of the Carbonari on the bastions, marking the first use of a tri-color flag in Italy’s history. Today, visitors are free to walk the grounds, or better yet, book a tour in advance at http://www.cultural.it/news/articolo.asp?id=559