Palmanova

Palmanova is a town and comune in the northeast Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, in the province of Udine. It was founded in 1593 by the Republic of Venice as a fortress town intended to guard its northeastern frontier. The city is renowned for its geometric urban planning and its star-shaped fortifications. The plan centers on a nine-pointed star polygon, with radial streets linking a central square to the outer gates and a system of concentric defensive walls, moats, and bastions. The project is attributed to the architect Vincenzo Scamozzi, who followed Renaissance ideals of order and harmony while integrating military functions with civilian life.

The centerpiece of the town is a spacious central square, commonly referred to as Piazza Grande, around which public and religious buildings were arranged. The fortifications and regular street grid have remained largely intact, making Palmanova one of the best-preserved examples of a Renaissance planned city and fortress in Europe.

Today Palmanova functions as a small, modern municipality whose economy relies on tourism, local commerce, and agriculture in the surrounding countryside. Visitors are drawn to the star fort’s escarpments and gates, the reflective urban geometry, and the town’s peaceful, well-preserved historic core. Palmanova’s distinctive design has made it a frequent subject of study in the fields of military architecture and urban planning.