What is the citadel? Military operation "Citadel".

What is the citadel? How does it differ from a fortress or a castle? When and by whom was the military operation "Citadel" carried out ? All of these questions can be found in our article.

A Brief History of Fortifications

People began to protect their homes, villages since ancient times. The first fortification structure can be considered a hillfort - a system of earthen ramparts, which was erected around the settlement. Later they were surrounded by wooden palisades, even later - stone walls and towers with loopholes.

In the Middle Ages, huge castles begin to be built, with high and strong walls, loopholes, bastions, redoubts and moats filled with water. What is the citadel? When did it arise? Let's try to understand this issue.

Fortress-citadel: what is it?

The very first strongholds arose in the cities of the ancient Indian civilization. These powerful fortifications not only protected people, but also personified the strength and power of the state.

To answer the question, what is the citadel, one should turn to the etymology of this concept. In translation from the Italian language, "citadel" (cittadella) is a small fortified town or village. True, there is another version of the origin of the word. Some researchers associate this term with the Latin word "civis", which translates as "citizen".

From the point of view of architecture, the stronghold is called a well-fortified fortress defending the city, or the internal, most reliable part of the castle, in which residents could hide in the most extreme case. The citadel, as a rule, can carry out defenses from enemy troops independently.

A significant feature of the citadel is that it acts as the last stronghold in the defense of the city, when all other objects and defensive structures are already taken. Citadels should have a sufficient area to accommodate not only the military garrison of the fortress, but also the necessary provisions (products, weapons and ammunition).

The synonym of the word "citadel" is the architectural term "bonfire". This name can often be found in the Russian chronicles of the XIV-XVI centuries. The term most likely derived from the word "castrum" - "castle".

What makes the citadel different from the fortress?

Among scientists and researchers, there is no single and coherent system of concepts relating to certain fortification elements.

The fortress (or castle) is the general name of the whole system of fortifications created around the city, village or palace of the feudal lord. At the same time, the citadel is only a part, a separate element of this defensive system.

So, if an outpost understands the first defensive position of any fortress, then the citadel is the last point of its defense. In the event that the city walls and external fortifications were captured by the enemy, the garrison could continue defending it in the citadel.

What is the Citadel plan ?

July 5, 1943 began a massive strategic offensive Wehrmacht forces on the position of Soviet troops on the Kursk bridgehead. This military operation was named in the history - the plan "Citadel".

The task of the German headquarters was to maximize the rapid encirclement of enemy forces and their immediate destruction. However, the command of the Red Army managed to organize competent and successful defense. And, after six days after the start of the operation, the situation for the Germans was extremely disappointing. The result of the offensive operation "Citadel" was its complete failure for Hitler's troops.

Finally...

Now you know what a citadel is, and how it differs from other fortification elements. This is the most reliable and fortified part of the fortress, which serves as the last refuge for the defending city garrison.