Cittadella is the Victorian castle on the island of Gozo, Malta. The area has been inhabited since the Bronze Age and the area occupied by Cittadella is considered the Acropolis of the Gallic or Glaucosian cities of Carthage. During the Middle Ages, the Acropolis was transformed into a castle as a refuge for the Gozo population. By the 15th century, the walls had expanded beyond the suburbs. This area is now the historical core of Victoria. The castle's defences were already weak in the 16th century, when Ottoman forces invaded Gozo and ransacked Cittadella in 1551. Between 1599 and 1622, the southern walls of Cittadella were rebuilt, transforming them into a fortress of gunpowder, and the northern walls remained untouched, still retaining the medieval style. The reconstruction of the fort was criticized at the time, so in the 17th and 18th centuries, plans were made to demolish the entire castle, but never implemented. Cittadella castle played no defensive role in the French invasion and subsequent uprisings of 1798. It was declared decommissioned by Britain in 1868. The castle has been on Malta's UNESCO World Heritage List since 1998. The church and other historic buildings, including the Ascension Cathedral, built on an early church site between 1697 and 1711, can be seen in Cittadella Castle. The castle is the highest point in the north of Victoria City, and stands on the castle overlooking the entire Victoria City.