We're in Palmanova (no Italy, not Majorca)

 

We had heavy rain in Krk overnight and the unsettled outlook hadn't altered much for the rest of the week.

It was dry for our morning doggy walk and the wind had died down somewhat, but I decided to stick with the plan to leave Croatia with quite a heavy heart, I'd so much looked forward to swimming and paddling my kayak in the Adriatic.

So we set off towards Italy and I'm hoping we can find some interesting places to visit on our route.

First off is Palmanova, this gives it's history, it looked really interesting on the map. It's a Venetian 9 point star fortified town build in the Renaissance period.

I had high hopes for some great Renaissance gems of period architectural buildings.

Sadly apart from the main central Piazza Grande with the cathedral and museum it was not a picturesque town at all. 

Most of the buildings seemed to be 1950-60's, so I assumed it had been bombed in WWll, but not so apparently.

Here's a bit of information I found on the town.

The town of Palmanova is located in northeastern Italy, close to the border with Slovenia. While Palmanova’s origins can be traced back to thousands of years, the modern city started as a fortress built by the Venetian empire in the 16th and 17th centuries to prevent attacks from Austrian and Turkish forces. The town was founded in 1593, but its construction took about a century to complete. Built in a concentric star formation, the town consists of three rings which were built in stages. The entire town is enclosed in a circular area with a circumference of 7 km. This is surrounded by a moat, with nine arrow-shaped inter-connected ramparts that protruded out of the town so that the points could defend each other. Entrance to the town is allowed through three guarded gates.

Palmanova was supposed to be a utopia inhabited by self-sustaining merchants, craftsmen, and farmers. The builders imposed geometrical harmony into its design believing that beauty reinforces the wellness of a society. Each road and move was carefully calibrated and each part of the plan had a reason for being. Each person would have the same amount of responsibility and land, and each person had to serve a specific purpose. However, despite the pristine conditions and elegant layout of the new city, no one chose to move there. In desperation, the Venetian government pardoned a number of prisoners in 1622 and gave them property in Palmanova.
Although a fortress, Palmanova never saw a battle and despite its apparently impenetrable defense, Palmanova was captured twice – first by Napolean and then back by the Kingdom of Italy.

During the First World War Palmanova's strategic location made it a logical base for the Italian military, which set up hospitals, storage facilities and drilling grounds in the area. 

During the Second World War Palmanova was used again as a base for Italy's efforts against anti-fascist partisans who were operating in the region. The town became a National Monument in 1960.

The square, called Piazza Grande, is in the form of a perfect hexagon and is flanked by important buildings, including the cathedral, where there are a number of works of interest, and the Civic History Museum, containing arms, historical items and documents illustrating the history of the fortress town from its origins to the Second World War. 

It is still definately worthwhile visiting this town to see the original fortifications which are amazing, Louis and I took a walk around them this afternoon.

I've been searching the internet for an aerial photograph of the town, but they all seem to be protected.

There is one though on the Wikipedia link above, and some good ones here where I copied the above information from.

We're the blue dot tonight

Some views of the town, mostly the Grande Piazza which is the 

only bit worth photographing really

Oh yes, some one has been allowed to set up a fair in the Grande Piazza !

Door of the day, side door into the Cathederal, for Lauren

Couldn't resist photographing the blue skies

Doggy Box, you put a euro in and get, err,
I'm not sure what as I didn't try it.
Surely nobody would pay a euro for a bag and a bin would they ?

Some views of the star fortifications

 

Tonights free parkup. 

I think there's a Roman aquaduct around here somewhere, my mission for the morning