The remodelling of the Cittadella was not extended all
around the perimeter of the medieval stronghold, mainly because the northern
part of the enceinte, built on a high cliff-face, was considered to be immune
from attack and bombardment. Here, the medieval walls were retained in their
original form, with a few modifications. Amongst these modifications was the
scarping of the lower part of the bedrock, to render the cliff-face even more
unassailable, as well as the blocking-up of an old medieval sally-port. These
old walls, however, have not fared well with the passage of time. Considerable sections
appear to have been replaced, possibly because these were heavily consumed and
had collapsed during the course of the past centuries. At least one medieval
wall tower, documented in a seventeenth-century plan, is no longer existent.
The heavily consumed state of the masonry fabric of the northern enceinte
called for significant repairs and restoration, the whole exercise being made
all the more difficult owing to the problems of erecting scaffolding along the
face of the high cliff face.