The perfect star: built in 1593 by the Serenissima Republic of Venice for defensive purposes, it is a masterpiece of military engineering.

A Unesco World Heritage Site since 2017 Palmanova is a fortress town designed and built by the to defend the regional borders from foreign threats, especially the Turks.
It is a unique model of a city, shaped like a perfectly symmetrical nine-pointed star, with a central square.
The historical centre of Palmanova can be reached through three monumental gates, named Aquileia (or Porta Marina), Udine and Cividale and, whichever direction one arrives from, the point of exit is the Piazza Grande, the ancient parade ground.
The square is a perfect hexagon overlooked by elegant and important buildings, including the Duomo, guardian of works of considerable interest.
Palazzo del Provveditore Generale and the Loggia della Gran Guardia are splendid examples of Venetian military architecture.

Piazza Grande is surrounded by eleven statues: each one represents one of the general suppliers of the fortress.
The best way to discover Palmanova is to walk along the ramparts that protect it, a path about 7 kilometres long: from that perspective, you can admire the perfect shapes of the city’s defensive structure.
Since its construction, Palmanova was protected by two defensive lines with bastions and ravelins to which a third wall was added during the Napoleonic era.
A system of underground tunnels, some of which can still be visited today, allowed for the safe movement of troops within the fortress.
You can also visit the Baluardo Donato Sortie with the Munitions Reserve, the Loggias and the Belvedere of the Cortina.

Since 2018 Palmanova has become part of the Most Beautiful Villages of Italy circuit.