first plans were made to restore the Cittadella, as part of a project that also included the restoration of the fortifications of Valletta, Birgu and Mdina on mainland Malta. The restoration of the Cittadella consisted of two projects which were co-funded under the European Regional Development Fund. The first was aimed at stabilizing and consolidating the fortifications and their underlying bedrock, and it began in 2008. This project was undertaken by the Restoration Unit at a cost of around €7 million. The second project was undertaken by the Ministry for Gozo between 2014 and 2016 at a cost of €14 million. The façades of the main buildings in the Cittadella were restored, while the ruins were acquired by the government and were cleaned and consolidated. The piazza and streets were paved, and the ditch was rehabilitated as a leisure area. A breach in the bastions was closed off with a door, and accessibility and safety measures were undertaken. The 19th-century reservoir in the ditch was also converted into the Cittadella Visitors' Centre, with this project being entrusted to Martin Xuereb & Associates and Sarner International. The restored Cittadella was inaugurated on 30 June 2016. The Cittadella Visitors' Centre has won multiple local and international awards since its inauguration. During the course of restoration, various architectural features and archaeological remains were unearthed. A small structure consisting of two sets of stones in circular arrangements was discovered in Cathedral Square in December 2014. Its age and purpose are unknown. Bronze Age silos were also rediscovered. Parts of the Hospitaller fortifications which had been obscured by British interventions in the mid-19th century were also rediscovered during the restoration works. These include a ramp with a drawbridge which served as the original entrance to the fortress, and a sally port within a flank of St. Michael's Bastion. The archaeological discoveries were incorporated into the final design of the project. Architecture The Cittadella is built on a promontory overlooking the present day city of Victoria. This location was originally chosen because it is a naturally defensible hill, dominating the surrounding countryside and having views of large parts of the coastline. Fortifications The fortifications of the Cittadella consist of a semi-circular enceinte in the northern end of the city, and bastions linked together with curtain walls in the south. The northern walls are built on the perimeter of the natural plateau, so they were difficult to