Walls, towers and gates Friuli Venezia Giulia

The Porta Villalta stood in the fifth wall circle of the city of Udine. It was built in 1335 and initially entrusted to custodians. In the mid-fifteenth century, the defenses of the city were expanded and the tower was also built, eighteen meters high. The keepers watched the tower through the ancient door. Originally, the structure consisted of a stone bridge destroyed following a flood of the Torre River.

The Clock Tower was built in 1527 by the project by Giovanni da Udine who took as a model the pattern of the tower of St. Mark's Square in Venice. The structure is located in Piazza Libertà and on its top are carved two moors that beat their hours in the bell placed between them. The idea came from the architect Vincenzo Luccardi who realized it in 1850. The clock has a blue background, and in the center there is a golden sun giving the work a round shape.

The Tower of Porta Aquileia was built in 1373 and is a massive brick structure. On the southern side there are four coats of arms, the Municipality of Udine, the Savorgnan Nobles, the Patriarch of Aquileia and one last stranger. Currently in the tower there is the Consortium for the Protection of the Historical Castles of Friuli-Venezia Giulia.

Porta Cividale was built in the first half of the 17th century and is covered in rustic rusticated and white and gray stone. The balustrade connects the two watchtowers, and originally on the façade was placed a stone marching lion, later shot down by French troops. In the upper part there is the Military Historical Museum of Palmanova.

Porta Aquileia has a typically Renaissance structure and is located in the southern part of the polygonal city of Palmanova. The façade takes up the Roman triumphal arches but shows in a different way the scrolls that expand from the frame until you reach the garrita. The architects M. Bosco and M. Cafazzo carried out the restoration and conservation of the stone facade.

The Fortress City of Palmanova was built with the function of defending territorial boundaries from Turkish invasions. Built by the Venetians around 1593, it is also called a starry city because of its polygonal star plan with nine spikes. The entrance to the historic center is through three Monumental gates called Cividale, Aquileia and Udine. During the Venetian era, the fortress was equipped with two circles of fortifications to protect the doors mentioned above.

The Tower was part of the Sbroiavacca Castle and was first mentioned in the 13th century. The castle was destroyed in 1820 by the Emperor Maximilian. Currently, only the brick tower is visible.

The Picotta Tower is located on a small hill, also reachable on foot. The Tower was built in 1477 to defend itself against the invasions of the Turks. During World War II, the building was almost completely destroyed by the Germans in 1944. After a few years, the Tower was rebuilt keeping its original shape thanks to some documents and photographs.