Some time ago, I came across the following article on CNN Travel, which took a brief look at cities scattered throughout Europe whose whole landscape design was predicated on integrating high-level geometry into military defense. There are many, many "star cities" -- some of which are still functioning communities, some of which serve as tourist attractions, some of which serve as out-of-the-way communes, some of which serve as historical sites and museums.
"Europe's Star Cities, Marvels of Renaissance Engineering"
An entirely new, rational way to design fortified settlements, the "star cities" of the 16th and 17th centuries were a jewel of the early modern era and engineered by some of the most brilliant minds of their time.
The science of building star-shaped bastion forts came into being in Italy during the Renaissance, when gunpowder and cannon rendered old medieval walls obsolete.
High, vertical walls gave way to low-lying ramparts, which offered less of a target, while wide moats, sloping earthworks and complex networks of protruding bastions would eliminate any blind spots and prevent besieging armies from coming anywhere near the ramparts.
This style of military architecture would have its golden era during the 1500s and particularly the 1600s, a period in which many parts of Europe saw almost uninterrupted warfare.
It's not a coincidence that some of its best and most magnificent examples cluster in places such as the Netherlands and the Rhine Valley, fault lines between warring empires.
Naarden, The Netherlands (photo: Hans Blossey/Alamy)
Brielle, The Netherlands (photo: Shutterstock)
Heusden, The Netherlands (photo: Shutterstock)
Willemstad, The Netherlands (photo: Shutterstock)
Bourtange, The Netherlands (photo: DigitalGlobe/Getty Images)
Palmanova, Italy (photo: Shutterstock)
Peschiera del Garda, Italy (photo: Hans Blossey/Alamy)
Almeida, Portugal (photo: Shutterstock)
Elvas, Portugal (photo: Alamy)
Neuf-Brisach, France (photo: Hemis/Alamy)
Terezín, Czech Republic (photo: Milan Vachal/CTK/AP)
Zamosc, Poland (photo: Shutterstock)
Karlovac, Croatia (photo: Shutterstock)
