42 km from the resort of Lignano on the Adriatic coast of Italy is a small town of Palmanova, which has just over five thousand people. In the 16th century, the area formerly was called "leopard skin": enclaves of the Venetian Republic was on the lands of Austria and Imperial possessions last – Venetian lands. In order to reinforce the defence of Friuli, the Venetians decided to build in the heart of this fertile plain, the fortress – it was supposed to protect from the attacks of the warlike Turks and to restrain the expansion of the Austrian Grand Dukes. For the realization of this ambitious project was assembled a team of talented engineers and architects. So, in October 1593, the year was laid the first stone of the new fortress Palma.

In the heyday of the Venetian Republic, the fortress was equipped with two rows of fortifications with bastions and a moat, which was defended by three main entrances inside. Palmanova was originally conceived as a kind of war machine: the number of bastions and the length of the wall corresponded to the weapon power of those times.

In 1797, the year the Austrians occupied the fortress, but soon they were expelled by the French. Then, after signing a peace Treaty with Napoleon, Palmanova was passed back to Austria for some time, but in 1805, the year the French star once again took the city and built a third line of fortifications. In 1814, the year the fortress once again changed owners again becoming the property of the Habsburg dynasty. In the reign of Austrians were built public theatre Teatro Sociale, which became the center of movement of the Risorgimento - the struggle for the unification of Italy. However, part of Palmanova Italy was only in 1866, the year. And a hundred years later, in 1960 year, the President of the Italian Republic declared a fortress city national monument.

And today in Palmanova you can see three majestic gates, erected in the 16th century. The city's main square – Piazza Grande – has the shape of a regular hexagon in the center of which, on the basis of Istrian stone rises the standard is the permanent witness and symbol of the fortress and its history. In the same square facing facades of many historic buildings, including the Cathedral, an outstanding example of Venetian architecture.

From museums Palmanova is a City history Museum, telling the history of the city and its environs. It also holds a rich collection of ancient weapons, brought here from the castle of St. Angelo in Rome.

Actually, I should say that in Palmanova very difficult to list all the interesting sights. The city itself is a Museum, in which every house, every street and square have their own value. Starting from Porta Udine, which you can see a huge wheel for lifting the suspension bridge, up the street Strada delle Milizie that runs along the old city walls, with its military garrisons and artillery warehouses. Merit and other quarters formerly used by the military, and now, after careful restoration, converted into residential, Sant Andrew and San Juana with its Venetian powder magazine is the oldest building of Palmanova.