The Citadel of Alessandria is an 18th-century star fortress on the Tanaro river, a tributary of the Po. Built by the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia to protect its borders, it saw plenty of battles over time. The most historic event, though, is not military. In 1821 during the Piedmont resurrection, revolutionaries raised a Carbonari tricolor flag here. the flag would undergo a change of color to eventually become the flag of Italy.

Unlike David, I was able to enter the site. Since 2007 it's no longer owned by the Italian military. You can climb the walls and explore the bastions freely, only the main buildings are closed. In addition, there is an on-site military museum. I think they even offer guided tours, but can't find any information online.

The preservation state, when I visited, was poor as weeds were growing everywhere and the site feeling desolate. The citadel has been flagged as endangered by Europa Nostra. Major efforts would be needed to clean this up.

OUV

It's an 18th-century star fortress. That's roughly it. When you visit it's hard to discern the star layout (you would need an aerial view). What is unique is that the fort still has mostly the original views of the surrounding countryside. The town never grew past and around it.

Getting There

Alessandria is on the railway line between Milan and Turin. You can also connect to Genoa by train. By bus, you can travel to Nizza Monferrato (Vineyard of the Piedmont). The bus departs in front of the railway station.

While You Are There

Alessandria a typical Italian town with the usual old town. It's nice enough, but doesn't stand out with any other Italian town.