Heritage Walk through the Citadel of Alessandria (IT)

On Saturday 26 September 2026, the third „Heritage Walk“ will take place at the Citadel of Alessandria, organised by the non-profit association „La Cittadella di Alessandria – Faro di pace in Europa“. Through four free guided tours led by experts, participants will be able to discover the citadel not only as a historical monument, but also as a living cultural heritage site and a place of knowledge, participation and European cooperation.

The event forms part of the European Heritage Days 2026 and takes up this year’s theme: „Endangered Cultural Heritage: Revitalise, Resist, Rethink“. The theme encourages local communities to recognise the pressures facing architectural, natural and cultural heritage, whilst exploring practical ways to protect it and pass it on to future generations.

„Awareness of our cultural heritage is our most important cultural asset.“

Anna Marotta

The Citadel of Alessandria provides a particularly significant setting for this reflection. Commissioned by Vittorio Amedeo II of Savoy and designed by Giuseppe Ignazio Bertola, the King’s Chief Engineer, it was built between 1728 and 1732 and is one of Europe’s most significant 18th-century fortification complexes. Its bastioned layout, historic buildings, barracks, powder magazines, protected passageways and the landscaped defensive grounds combine military architecture, engineering, history and nature.

The fortress has been described as „an anthology of defensive forms“, as its design reflects various European traditions, including the Dutch school led by Menno van Coehoorn and the French system developed by Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban. These influences make the citadel a local landmark with a distinctly European history.

The „Heritage Walk“ offers a participatory way of experiencing this complex site. Rather than presenting the citadel as an isolated monument, the guided tours link its spaces to the history of Alessandria, the people who have shaped and used the fortress, and the decisions that will determine its future. Knowledge becomes the starting point for care, conservation and sustainable new uses.

This approach lies at the heart of the project „La Cittadella di Alessandria – Faro di pace in Europa“ run by the Council of Europe’s Faro Heritage Community. Led by the association of the same name, the project promotes dialogue between public institutions, universities, experts, cultural organisations, local communities and citizens. The aim is to develop joint, sustainable and innovative approaches to the management of the citadel, whilst preserving both the historical fabric and the cultural dignity of the site.

Moreover, the European dimension extends beyond Alessandria. Friendship agreements and institutional cooperation with the fortified towns of Almeida in Portugal and Arad in Romania promote the exchange of knowledge and experience. Such partnerships demonstrate how fortified heritage can become a field of international cooperation and a resource for peace, cultural dialogue and mutual understanding.

The „Heritage Walk 2026“ is being organised with the participation of the Council of Europe Office in Venice, heritage conservation authorities, universities and cultural and civic organisations, and under the patronage of the Piedmont Region, the Province of Alessandria and the City of Alessandria. This broad network reflects a shared commitment to combining research, public participation and heritage conservation.

The programme will take place on Saturday, 26 September 2026.

Four free guided tours, each lasting two hours, start at 9.00 am, 11.00 am, 2.00 pm and 4.00 pm. Places are limited; advance booking is required.

Information and free booking: www.alfarocittadellapace.it

Venue: Citadel of Alessandria, Via Pavia 2, 15121 Alessandria, Italy

Author of the media: Associazione La Cittadella di Alessandria – Beacon of Peace in Europe (ETS); Prof. Arch. Dr Anna Marotta, Chair of the association „La Cittadella di Alessandria – Beacon of Peace in Europe“ (ETS) and coordinator of the project of the same name run by the Council of Europe’s Cultural Heritage Community