Cittadella is a medieval walled city in the province of Padua, northern Italy, founded in the thirteenth century as a military outpost of Padua. The surrounding wall has been restored; there are four entrance gateways to the old town, one at each of the points of the compass.
Cittadella was erected in 1220 by order of the city of Padua in order to build a fortified outpost that would defend its territory. The walls today are all intact except for a stretch destroyed in the 16th century during the Cambrai war, and the skilled detail of the construction are still easily visible.
What to see:
TOUR OF THE RAMPARTS
The main tourist attraction of Cittadella is a tour of the ramparts (camminamento di ronda). The rampart walk provides great views down onto the medieval town centre and on a clear day to the north you can see the Dolomites.
THE DUOMO
Cittadella’s cathedral, the Duomo, is in the centre of the town, presiding over a very pleasant open square, Piazza Pierobon. The building’s design dates to the eighteenth century, although the facade wasn’t finished until 1913. Frescoes from an earlier church can be seen in a side-chapel.
During the last week in September there is a medieval fair with costumes and re-enactments. A small archaeological museum is open on weekend afternoons in the Torre di Malta – once a notorious prison – by the Porta Padova.
