FORTE CULTURA Tourist Guide Book

22 \\ TOURIST GUIDE BOOK EXPERIENCE CULTURAL HERITAGE TRAVEL ARCHITECTURE FORTIFIED IDEAL CITIES T he planning and construction of complete, highly forti- fied cities with a strict geometrical layout is one of the most extraordinary achievements of military strategists of the 16th to 18th centuries. They combined the regular/ ideal city geometries adopted from the Greeks and often practised by the Romans with the bastion systems of the modern era to achieve highly effective city fortifications. Whether they are in a star shape like the Renaissance cities of Palmanova (Italy) and Neuf Brisach (France), or rectangular like the cities of Terezín (Czech Republic) or Zamość (Poland), all follow the same rules: the barracks are located on the outskirts, and a large square forms the city centre, where the civil and military leadership are situated. The ideal forti- fied city combined the presence of the military with all necessary civilian trades and services in an effective manner. Perfectly straight streets convey the harmony of the overall structure. Their striking sight lines, authentic period silhouettes and often well preserved defences still represent an impressive synthesis of the arts. These wonderfully uniform structures with an extraordinary cityscape are today literally the “stars” of fortified architecture. Many of them are UNESCO world cultural heritage sites. Fortified Ideal Cities Star cities – marvels of fortification constructions with perfect geometry Fortified ideal city Zamość [PL] Military town planned by military architects and engineers of absolutist rulers during the Renaissance; the streets and the surrounding fortifications were laid out in a star shape or with chessboard geometry. The city structure is predominantly regular to enable quick cannon changes and optical communications between the facing bastions across the city. The city was typically only settled following construction of the fortifications by members of the garrison.