Palmanova Fortress City

Palmanova is the masterpiece of Venetian military architecture, a fortress city designed and built to defend the regional borders from foreign threats, especially from the Turks. It is a one-of-a-kind model of a city, shaped like a perfectly symmetrical nine-pointed star, with a central square.

Since July 2017 it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site and since 2018 it has been among the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy. In 1960 it was proclaimed a National Monument.

The historic center of Palmanova can be reached through three Monumental Gates, called Aquileia, Udine and Cividale and, from any direction you arrive, the outlet point is the Piazza Grande, the ancient parade ground. Its shape is of a perfect hexagon overlooked by elegant and important buildings, including the Doge's Cathedral.