Italy: Palmanova

Palmanova is an amazing town that was built like a stunning nine-pointed star-shaped fortress, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Founded in 1593 by the Venetian Republic, it was built as a defensive stronghold against Ottoman invasions and designed by architect Vincenzo Scamozzi. The city’s layout is a masterpiece of Renaissance military architecture – three concentric walls (two Venetian, one Napoleonic), nine bastions, and three monumental gates! In the very center is Piazza Grande, a perfect hexagon surrounded by historic buildings like the Doge’s Cathedral and also with a huge flagpole flying the Italian flag.