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GUIDED TOUR OF PALMANOVA

The nine-pointed fortress built by the Venetians

The highlights of Palmanova:

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  • The ramparts

  • The underground defense gallery "contromina"

  • The bastions

  • The Piazza Grande 

  • The historical buildings surrounding the main square

  • The Cathedral 

  • The three access gates

  • The historical museum

  • The military museum

  • The market on Mondays

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WHAT SHOULD YOU CERTAINLY VISIT IN PALMANOVA?

 

 

A VENETIAN STAR SHAPED FORTRESS 
 

It is a pity that when visiting Palmanova it is not possible to make a helicopter flight, because let's be honest this fortress shows itself at its best from the air. 

 

Palmanova was built in 1593 by the Venetians as a defensive bulwark against the invasions of the Austrians and Ottomans. Since 2017 Palmanova has become one of the three Unesco World Heritage cities in Friuli, because of its still existing defense works. The Venetians wanted to build a a completely new nine points shaped fortress city from scratch, that offered the most modern defense systems of that time. They used moats, bastions, ravelins, liftbridges and ramparts to keep their enemies away. 

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NAPOLEON BONAPARTE  
 

To be honest, in the 200 years that followed, the city was never really attacked. This changed in 1797 when Napoleon Bonaparte during his Italian Campaign, took over this region and also the city of Palmanova. He invaded this area three times in between 1797 and 1813. After the Treaty of Paris the region was given into the hands of the Austrian Hungarian Empire until 1866 when it was finally returned to Italy after the third war of independence.

Napoleon has left his mark on Palmanova because he added a third ring of fortification, called 'lunette di Napoleone'- Napoleon's crescents. Also it is said that before Napoleon's intervention Palmanova was called Palma (the emblem of victory) and Napoleon decided to add the word "nova" - new - to it.

 

A WALK ON THE RAMPARTS
 

A visit to Palmanova is only complete after a walk on the ramparts and through the old moat. You can also visit the underground defence gallery named "Galleria Contromina" and one of the bastions buying the entrance ticket at the tourist office. Palmanova is located on the Alpe Adria cycle route, so you shouldn't be surprised if you see a row of cyclist cycling through the moat ...

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SHOPPING IN AND AROUND PALMANOVA 
 

If you have the change to visit Palmanova on a Monday you are lucky because Monday is market day and the whole central square transforms itself into a lively place full of various stalls offering all kinds of goods.

If you like shopping you are at the right place because only a few kilometers away from Palmanova you have the Palmanova Outlet full of Italian brands for good prices. 

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BOOK A GUIDED TOUR IN PALMANOVA

 

A visit to Friuli Venezia Giulia is not complete without a visit to Palmanova

Do not hesitate to contact me if you would like to book a guided tour. I will be happy to show you around and tell you much more about Palmanova. Clicking on the purple button more details appear of what you will see during the guided tour and the rates. 

Good to combine with one of the following sights:
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The historical re-enactment
Event:  Palma alle Armi -  The historical re-enactment
 
On the first weekend of September, Palmanova comes
alive with the great historical re-enactment AD 1615.
Palma alle Armi (Palma at arms): over eight hundred actors
in 17th century costume bring us back to the beginning of
the war between Habsburg Austria and the Republic of Venice until the fall of Venice to Napoleon in 1797.
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