The citadel. When originally built it was a one-story affair, but in the 1850's Fort Pike got a facelift, and a second story was added to the citadel...which Confederates tried to burn upon their hasty departure in 1862, and a less intentional but more effective fire in January of 1887 finished the job, which conflagration was reportedly visible from New Orleans, 25 miles away.

No pix were ever taken of this edifice, but click here to see a drawing of what it probably looked like, from the fantastic book Pike: A Fortress in the Wetlands by Bertram Hawthorne Groene.

Upon its completion, this citadel was by far the grandest structure in the area. The citadel certainly dominated Fort Pike's parade ground, and initially a huge square cistern took up much of the rest of this space.