The massive Citadel was built between 1571 and 1645 on the orders of Felipe 11 of Spain. It was designed by the Italian Giacomo Pelearo and has a pentagon shape with five bastions. The fortress was captured by the French in 1808 and eighty years later, when the city was extended, it was partly demolished. The Citadel is now a green area and its bastions and pavilions are used for exhibitions, as well as sporting and cultural events.