guanche
star-shaped citadel
The Citadel of Lille was built in the seventeenth century. Engineer and military architect Vauban built it he also constructed many similar citadels near the French borders with Germany and Belgium. He called this one the queen of the citadels, and it's a work of great quality that is very well preserved now, which is a miracle because of all the attacks on it. Other citadels in the region of Flanders, including Gravelines, Dunkerque and Maubeuge are now part of a larger plan of 28 fortified cities. Vauban was in Lille and could monitor the construction of other citadels and the northern channels.
The citadels were taken into account when determining where to mark the border between France and Belgium. King Louis XIV ordered the construction of The Citadel of Lille was built after a Spanish attack in August 1667. Vauban finished it in 1671, but didn't not stop there, he also organised the new "modern" districts of Lille around Royal Street. Today the citadel is surrounded by a beautiful park. You can't see from above but it has a star shape. The inside is military terrain.
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