Walk through the Bastions Park

Itinerary - Places to visit

1. 1°

   Porta Udine

   Porta Udine, one of the three access points to the fortress-city, takes its name from the direction it faces.

   Built between 1604 and 1605, it still preserves the two large wheels used to raise and lower the drawbridge.

   The monumental façade features two lateral semi-columns, and above the cornice stand two spires and two guard turrets.

   Inside, the gate opens onto a courtyard with two arcaded wings, equipped with fireplaces and rooms used as accommodation for the garrison responsible for guarding the entrance.

   Outside the gate stands the large white stone aqueduct.

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2. 2°

   Venetian aqueduct

   Outside Porta Udine rises the imposing structure of the Venetian Aqueduct, whose construction dates back to the origins of the fortress.
   It was restored several times: in 1665, for example, General Governor Alvise Molin had it almost completely rebuilt using stone from Medea; rebuilt again in 1751 in a neoclassical style, it finally took its current form in 1771.
   The aqueduct was used to bring water from the Roggia di Palma into the fortress for civic use.
   The central plaque, created in 1751 by the Palmarian sculptor Carlo Pico, depicts a lion skin flanked by two female allegorical figures: Hygieia and the Spring. It also bears a laudatory inscription dedicated to General Governor Pisani; in 2013 it was fully restored by the Superintendency.

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3. 3°

   Roggia di Palma and waterfalls

   The water feeding the Venetian aqueduct comes from the Roggia di Palma, which originates from the Torre stream near the narrow gorge of Zompitta, north of Udine.
   The roggia, already mentioned in documents from 1171, is the oldest historically recorded artificial water channel in Friuli.
   After a course of about 32 kilometres, following interventions by the Serenissima Republic of Venice, the water reaches this final point and flows into the 17th-century fortress moat.
   About three metres high, this small waterfall was restored in 2015, together with the short channel built by Venetian engineers using brickwork and a dry-stone pebble bed.

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4. 4°

   Countermine Tunnels of the Ravelin and Donato Bastion

   Descending into the Underground Countermine Tunnels means entering the secret spaces of Palmanova, where soldiers defended the fortress and lived hidden from enemy sight. Today, this underground route allows visitors to discover the ingenious defensive system of the fortress through passages, tunnels and underground chambers. A fascinating experience combining history, mystery and adventure, offering the chance to explore Palmanova from an unexpected perspective.

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5. 5°

   Bastion with sortie lodge

   At the corners of the bastion, known as “ears” (“orecchioni”), there were two soldiers’ lodges.
   The one on the left included a sortie ramp leading directly outside the fortress.
   The one on the right was used as a guard and shelter room for troops and was equipped with a fireplace and several niches for lighting. Today, this space is occasionally used for historical reenactments.

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6. 6°

   Napoleonic Lunettes

   The Napoleonic Lunettes represent the third defensive ring of Palmanova, added in the early 19th century by order of Napoleon Bonaparte.

   These triangular earthworks, surrounded by greenery, reflect the military engineering of the nineteenth century and today offer a fascinating route through fortifications and landscape.

   Walking among caponiers and casemates, visitors discover an environment where history and nature intertwine.

   Now transformed into evocative green pathways, they are ideal for walking and cycling between history and nature.

   Exploring them means immersing oneself in historic military engineering while enjoying the silence surrounding this extraordinary UNESCO heritage site.

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7. 7°

   Countergates

   Originally, access to the fortress followed a route that bypassed the rivellini protecting the gates.
   The defensive earthwork, now cut through by the access road to the city, was controlled on both sides by two countergates, which formed an integral part of the defensive wall system.
   Following the path around the rivellino and passing through the countergate, visitors would reach a wooden bridge used to cross the first section of the moat, and then arrive at the monumental gate itself, protected in turn by a drawbridge operated by powerful internal mechanisms.
   Today, two countergates are still visible: one outside Porta Cividale and the other outside Porta Aquileia.

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8. 8°

   Porta Cividale

   Porta Cividale welcomes visitors with its austere rusticated stone façade. A true masterpiece of military architecture, the gate was not merely an entrance but an impregnable defensive structure. Today it hosts the Museum of the Great War and of the Fortress of Palmanova, offering a privileged view over the imposing fortifications. Passing through its wide vaulted halls means taking a journey back in time, amid echoes of soldiers and the enduring mark of Venetian engineering genius.

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9. 9°

   Palmanova bastions

   The bastions of Palmanova are a masterpiece of military engineering and a testament to Venice’s once-impenetrable defensive system. These colossal earthworks draw the iconic nine-pointed star shape, today a green oasis ideal for walking and trekking through history. Along the ramparts, visitors encounter guard lodges, powder magazines and panoramic viewpoints offering breathtaking views over the city, the moat and the Roggia di Palma. A journey through history, military architecture and nature, where every corner reveals the brilliance of Venetian and Napoleonic defensive design.

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10. 10°

    The Napoleonic Powder Magazines of Garzoni and Foscarini

    The two Napoleonic powder magazines in Contrada Garzoni and Contrada Foscarini were built at the beginning of the 19th century as ammunition depots.

    Today, these atmospheric spaces, surrounded by the greenery of the bastions, have been transformed into venues for exhibitions and cultural events.

    A unique opportunity to experience how military history has been turned into beauty within the heart of the UNESCO star-shaped city.

    Characterised by imposing barrel vaults, ventilation slits and strong stone masonry walls, the powder magazines offer a remarkable insight into Napoleonic military engineering.

    Visiting them reveals the perfect balance between their original defensive purpose and their new cultural role.

    A third Napoleonic powder magazine also exists in Contrada Barbaro and is currently awaiting restoration and redevelopment.

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11. 11°

    Former Piave Barracks

    The former Piave Barracks, built in 1634 as a military quarter, tells centuries of the fortress’s history. After the First World War it took on its current name and, during the Second World War, became one of the main anti-partisan repression centres in Friuli Venezia Giulia. Today, it is destined to become the home of the Regional Museum of the Resistance, transforming into a place of memory and reflection on the history of the city and the region.

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12. 12°

    Former Filzi Napoleonic Barracks

    The Former Filzi Barracks, built by Napoleon inside Donato Bastion, is an impressive example of French military architecture. Its sober lines and solid structure bear witness to the period when Palmanova became a strategic outpost for Napoleon’s troops. Dedicated to the irredentist Fabio Filzi and home to the Genoa Regiment Headquarters until 1992, the building still preserves its historical and architectural charm. Climbing the staircase on the left side leads to a panoramic viewpoint overlooking the fortifications.

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13. 13°

    Former Montesanto Napoleonic Barracks

    The Former Montesanto Barracks is a significant example of Napoleonic military architecture integrated into the bastions of Palmanova. Designed in the early 19th century, it combined defensive functions with the daily organisation of garrison life, including dormitories and baking ovens. Once a place of military defence, the building has now been reborn as a lively cultural venue and exhibition space, where the charm of 19th-century history meets contemporary creativity in a striking monumental setting.

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