ESA published this original story on December 19, 2024. Edits by EarthSky. Here are four examples of such cities, arranged clockwise from the top left: Bourtange in the Netherlands, Palmanova in Italy, Almeida in Portugal and Neuf-Brisach in France. The green and red hues are from a different band combinations during image processing to generate true-color (green) and false-color (red) visuals The 2025 EarthSky Lunar Calendar is now available! A unique and beautiful poster-sized calendar. Get yours today! Fort Bourtange is in northeastern Netherlands It was built in 1593 as a military fortification to guard the only road connecting Germany and the city of Groningen it retains its iconic pentagonal shape and geometric street pattern preserving its historical and architectural significance which lies in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region in northeast Italy The Venetians built it to defend the Republic’s northeast border It’s a quintessential example of a Renaissance star fortress And it’s one of the largest and best-preserved geometric towns Palmanova’s radial design extends from a central hexagonal square the “Piazza del Duomo,” with concentric rings crossed by straight avenues A star-shaped double perimeter of fortifications surrounds this internal area The fortress of Almeida lies on a high plain in northeast Portugal It played a crucial role in defending Portugal’s border during its early years of independence striking star-shaped ramparts surround its old town Located in the Alsace region of France near the German border Neuf-Brisach was built in 1697 on the French side of the Rhine after the loss of Breisach on the opposite bank The town’s name – “Neuf,” meaning new in French – reflects its origins Designed for both civilian and military use Neuf-Brisach has a central octagonal layout with streets arranged in a square grid It is part of the UNESCO listed network of fortifications created by Louis XIV’s famed engineer All images use very-high resolution data from missions within ESA’s Third Party Missions program The program allows the wider scientific community access to high-quality commercial data from a wide range of Earth observation satellite missions Bottom line: Satellites in space give us a clear view of these star-shaped cities in Europe Via ESA Read more: Earth images from space: 10 incredible photos of our planet We invite you to visit our campaign page to discover why we need your contributions now more than ever to preview an illustration from Guy Ottewell’s great book that we're helping finalize and to learn more about EarthSky’s history “Things are always so much more peaceful when looking up.” We couldn’t agree more we apologize for the popup and greatly appreciate your support Calvià celebrates Europe Day with a day full of activities for the whole family and a varied programme of musical performances making the day a celebration of European coexistence one of the most popular activities amongst children will be offered in different time slots throughout the day the 'European Citizen of the Year in Calvià' award will be presented Visitors to the event will be able to enjoy the greatest hits of European music in an afternoon full of rhythm and celebration Calvià reaffirms its commitment to the European values ​​of unity bringing together visitors and residents of all nationalities who live in the municipality on Palmanova's beachfront Calvià hosts several unique annual celebrations on the island that contribute to making the municipality more respectful and Saint George's Day contribute to strengthening local coexistence and improving the integration of people who have decided to make Calvià their home 971 13 91 00 calvia@calvia.com Today’s Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features a compilation of European cities that resemble stars “Star-shaped cities are scattered across Europe, their geometric designs most appreciated when viewed from above,” noted ESA The development of star-shaped fortresses, also known as bastion forts, emerged during the Renaissance in Italy as a response to the rapidly evolving art of warfare.  became vulnerable with the advent of gunpowder weaponry Cannons could easily reduce these structures to rubble The star-shaped design addressed these vulnerabilities by incorporating wide moats and projecting bastions – angled structures that jutted outward from the main walls.  These bastions provided overlapping fields of fire allowing defenders to cover blind spots and effectively repel attackers attempting to approach or scale the walls.  were designed to deflect cannonballs rather than absorb their impact This innovative design not only improved defensive capabilities but also transformed the battlefield forcing attackers to develop new siege techniques It marked a pivotal moment in military engineering influencing fortress construction across Europe and beyond for centuries “Four examples of such cities can be seen here arranged clockwise from the top left: Bourtange in the Netherlands “The green and red hues evoke a Christmas vibe achieved through different band combinations during image processing to generate true-color (green) and false-color (red) visuals.” nestled in the picturesque countryside of northeast Netherlands near the German border is a remarkable example of Renaissance military architecture and urban planning.  Constructed in 1593 during the Eighty Years’ War it was strategically positioned to control the only road linking Germany to the Dutch city of Groningen – a vital route for military and trade purposes.  star-shaped design featured angled bastions making it nearly impenetrable to enemy forces equipped with the era’s artillery Fort Bourtange was decommissioned and transformed into a peaceful village.  defined by precise angles and symmetrical patterns and radial street design continue to showcase the ingenuity of its designers located in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of northeast Italy is a masterpiece of Renaissance urban and military planning.  Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site, it exemplifies the idealized city envisioned during the late Renaissance, combining beauty, functionality, and military innovation.  Constructed in 1593 by the Republic of Venice Palmanova was strategically designed to protect the Republic’s northeastern borders from external threats – particularly the Ottoman Empire The city’s layout embodies the principles of symmetry and order characteristic of the Renaissance Its unique radial design spreads out from the central hexagonal square known as Piazza Grande or Piazza del Duomo which serves as the civic and social heart of the city.  connecting the square to the surrounding neighborhoods and gates This design was not only aesthetically pleasing but also practical allowing for efficient movement and communication within the city Palmanova is celebrated not only for its historical and architectural significance but also as a rare example of a perfectly preserved star fortress.  Perched on a high plain in northeast Portugal near the Spanish border the fortress of Almeida is a striking example of military engineering and a symbol of Portugal’s resilience.  Built to secure the nation’s eastern frontier Almeida has played a significant role in Portuguese history particularly during its early years of independence and throughout various military conflicts The fortress’s defining star-shaped ramparts consist of twelve points each projecting outward to eliminate blind spots and provide overlapping fields of fire against advancing enemies.  and angular bastions made Almeida a formidable stronghold capable of withstanding prolonged sieges Neuf-Brisach, located in the Alsace region of northeastern France near the German border is another fascinating example of military and urban design.  The town was constructed in 1697 after the loss of Breisach which stood on the opposite bank of the Rhine River in Germany.  The name “Neuf” (meaning “new” in French) reflects its creation as a strategic replacement and fortification to strengthen France’s defense along its eastern border Designed by Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban the renowned military engineer under King Louis XIV Neuf-Brisach is part of the extensive network of fortifications that Vauban designed to protect France from external threats.  Vauban’s expertise in defensive architecture is evident in the town’s star-shaped layout which was intended to optimize defense while accommodating civilian life within the fortifications.  The fortifications were built to withstand sieges and were strategically positioned to control movement across the Rhine River and defend against potential invasions The outer star-shaped ramparts extend in a way that creates a nearly impenetrable defensive perimeter Like what you read? Subscribe to our newsletter for engaging articles Check us out on EarthSnap, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com ShareSaveCommentLifestyleDiningBeso Beach Is The Best Place To Eat In Mallorca's Palmanova Area—Here's WhyByVicki Denig Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights Vicki Denig is a NY-based reporter who covers restaurants and bars.Follow AuthorAug 09 02:20pm EDTShareSaveCommentBeso Beach at Zel Mallorca Mallorca is home to some of Europe’s most beautiful beaches this easily accessible beach town lies just 25 minutes west of the island’s capital city of Palma making it one of the island’s most convenient places to explore the Palmanova’s offerings have left much to desire—that is the game-changing restaurant shaking up Palmanova’s fine dining scene The restaurant is the fifth Beso Beach installment globally (the fourth for Spain) following in the successful footsteps of its Formentera I checked out the restaurant a few weeks back and was blown away by the restaurant’s airy atmosphere specifically within the realm of fresh seafood offerings Here’s a small taste of what the experience looked like We started the meal with a round of sourdough bread with aioli and olives I can honestly say that this was one of the most perfectly-cooked pieces of bread to ever grace my palate; a thick Next up: (Perfectly) Josper-cooked scallops topped with harissa and drenched in butter The flavor and texture of this dish were both a 10/10 for me Firewood octopus with celery sprout purée and harissa aioli we shared firewood octopus with celery sprout purée and harissa aioli I probably would’ve preferred this without the aioli and the texture wasn’t nearly as heavenly as that of the scallops Our main course: More grilled sea bass than two humans could ever possibly consume We washed the meal down with a delicious espresso martini—and a slice of melt-in-your-mouth chocolate cake (called the “chocolate orgasm” on the menu) which was consumed too quickly to be photographed Additional menu offerings range from Acorn-fed Iberian ham croquettes and a traditional grilled vegetable and sardine Mallorcan cake to wild tuna belly it goes without saying—if you’re heading to Palmanova and looking for the best place to dine Book Day with a day full of entertainment and activities on Passeig de la Mar in Palmanova on Saturday organised by Calvià Town Hall through the Municipal Institute of Education and Libraries (IMEB) will be a meeting point for reading and culture lovers the Passeig de la Mar will become a cultural space where attendees can enjoy a wide variety of activities related to the world of books The programme includes the presence of bookstores and an "Ephemeral Library" with the BiblioRoulotte Attendees will be able to enjoy the sale of books and roses The day's entertainment will be provided by Batucada Valkyria and Genobatucada along with the participation of Dimonis Comte Mal who will add a touch of spectacle and Mallorcan tradition to the day The event will also include storytelling sessions with El Dragón que perdió la sonrisa at 11:30 a.m and Les aventures del Pirata Pedorreta at 4:30 p.m a Calvià Town Hall information point will be set up to answer questions about municipal services The Town Hall invites residents and visitors to join this Book Day celebration in Calvià which seeks to promote a love of reading and offer an entertaining literary and cultural experience for the whole family Mission Statement: to assist the integration of foreign residents living in Spain and this is never more accurate than when you establish yourself as a foreign resident in a new country Being able to quickly familiarise yourself with the culture and customs can help ease the transition during a challenging time This is why Euro Weekly News makes it our mission to provide you with a free news resource in English that covers both regional and national Spanish news – anything that we feel you will benefit from knowing as you integrate into your new community and live your best life in Spain you can forget about translating articles from Spanish into awkward English that probably don’t make much sense Let us be your convenient and essential guide to all things that will likely affect you as a foreign resident living in Spain AS he prepares for his final season as a tennis player has become a hotelier on the island where he was born The first property from his new venture, ZEL Lifestyle “Born in the Mediterranean” and was created in collaboration with Meliá Hotels International Meliá is one of Spain’s leading domestic operators of holiday resorts and the 17th-largest hotel chain worldwide Its look and feel is based on open and dynamic spaces inviting guests to feel the warmth of a Mediterranean house In addition to two swimming pools and an inviting stretch of sandy beach the hotel has a spa equipped with two jacuzzis There are also well-appointed workout facilities with personal trainers available to guests The 165 room hotel is the first in a planned 20-strong chain in partnership with Meliá Hotels and the Grand Slam tennis hero Set along one of the island’s most famous beaches the hotel is only a 15 minute drive from the bustling capital of Palma and less than 30 minutes from Palma de Mallorca Airport Nadal already operates a tennis academy on the island with two dozen or so courts in his home town of Manacor but this is the champion’s first hospitality project Subscribe to our Euro Weekly News alerts to get the latest stories into your inbox Euro Weekly News is the leading English language newspaper in Spain by delivering news with a social conscience we are proud to be the voice for the expat communities who now call Spain home With around half a million print readers a week and over 1.5 million web views per month EWN has the biggest readership of any English language newspaper in Spain The paper prints over 150 news stories a week with many hundreds more on the web – no one else even comes close Our publication has won numerous awards over the last 25 years including Best Free Newspaper of the Year (Premios AEEPP) Company of the Year (Costa del Sol Business Awards) and Collaboration with Foreigners honours (Mijas Town Hall) All of this comes at ZERO cost to our readers All our print and online content always has been and always will be FREE OF CHARGE Download our media pack in either English or Spanish Tennis - Retrouvez sur cette page les infos le tableau et les résultats du tournoi féminin ITF 25 prévu à Palmanova (ESP) du 20 au 26 mars.. Ekaterine Gorgodze (GEO) frappe fort en éliminant la TDS 2 Tara Wurth au premier tour 6/4 6/4 s'impose contre la Roumaine Cristina Dinu 4/6 6/4 7/5 Rien ne va plus pour Harmony Tan défaite au T1 par Cagla Buyukakcay (TUR) 6/4 7/6 qui s'incline contre la Portugaise Francisca Jorge 6/3 6/2 s'en sort beaucoup mieux avec un succès face à la qualifiée Grecque Sapfo Sakellaridi 6/1 6/3 Alexandra Ignatik met fin au parcours d'Alice Rame 6/2 4/6 6/1 La Belge Marie Benoit élimine une Roumaine nommée Oana Gavrila 7/6 6/3 qui verra un peu plus tard nombre de ses compatriotes se hisser au tour suivant Leyre Romero Gormaz 🇪🇸 vs Alexandra Ignatik 🇷🇴 : 6/7 6/1 6/2 la locale a passé la vitesse supérieure dès le début du 2e set Miriam Bianca Bulgaru 🇷🇴 vs Iryna Shymanovich 🇷🇺 : 1/6 4/6 Jacqueline Cristian 🇷🇴 vs Marie Benoit 🇧🇪 : 7/6 6/1 On aura une demi 100% Roumaine suite à cette victoire de la TDS 5 face à la TDS 4 Andreea Prisacariu 🇷🇴 vs Ekaterine Gorgodze 🇬🇪 : 0/6 6/4 6/2 cette Roumaine n'est pas loin de réussir sa meilleure semaine en carrière Leyre Romero Gormaz 🇪🇸 vs Iryna Shymanovich 🇷🇺 : 3/6 3/6 nettement dominée par cette Russe de 25 ans Jacqueline Cristian 🇷🇴 vs Andreea Prisacariu 🇷🇴 : 6/3 6/0 Aucun souci pour cette joueuse confirmée qui punit sa compatriote sortie des qualifications Iryna Shymanovich 🇷🇺 vs Jacqueline Cristian 🇷🇴 : 4/6 0/6 Cette finale aura surtout valu par son premier set avec une belle opposition Et puis suite au break concédé à 4/3 contre elle la Russe va craquer et les points vont vite défiler en faveur de la Roumaine qui était encore 58e mondiale durant l'été 2022 UNESCO heritage site Palmanova will be the exhibition venue of this year's winning creative images from the URBAN Photo Awards The festival was founded in 2014 and it is dedicated entirely to urban photography and the exploration of contemporary life so it makes sense to have a major competition linked to it Read more: the best cameras for street photography As part of the overall prize pool – which currently totals €23,000 – this "group exhibition-prize" means the showcase of a selection of the best images from the Creative category of the Single Photos Projects & Portfolios section The exhibition will be held in a historic ancient powder magazine which was commissioned by Napoleon in the early 19th century and is now used as a cultural hub for events and exhibitions like this one.  To get the chance to see your creative image on display in Palmanova, enter URBAN Photo Awards 2022 by 31 May 2022 and British Airways' in-flight magazine she's probably in the kitchen testing yet another new curry recipe or walking in the Cotswolds with her Flat-coated Retriever TOWIE Star James Argent set to wow Palmanova crowd in Saint George celebration concert British TV star from The Only Way Is Essex and weight-loss sensation takes centre stage for a special concert in the early evening of Friday Joining the charismatic James Argent will be none other than local crooner Albie Davies and the renowned DJ Richie Embleton. The stage will be set against the picturesque backdrop of Palmanova’s beachfront fountain, creating a memorable atmosphere for this free event taking place during the St George celebrations in Calvia This is just one more gesture the local council is making to express gratitude to loyal British holidaymakers and residents James Argent rose to stardom through his notable stint on the ITVBe classic The Only Way Is Essex from 2010 to 2018 he went on to become a popular figure in various reality shows Argent has also delighted audiences in pantomime productions including a memorable turn as Dandini in Cinderella in 2015 and as Abanazar in Aladdin at the Middleton Arena in 2018 James Argent has also played at the popular Stadium63 venue His concert on Friday 26 is due to start at 5 pm The location is definitely unrivalled: a nine-pointed star-shaped fortress town conceived as an inexpugnable defensive system Surrounded by perfectly preserved 7 km-long fortifications it is one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites This was the scenario of the competitions taking place along the ramparts with a close-up bird’s eye view of the arenas and of all the obstacles from just one spot to satisfy … even the laziest spectators In spite of heavy rains a couple of days before the dressage with only maybe a little bit heavier going which accounts in general for not striking dressage marks The more experienced drivers had little problems as demonstrated by Young Driver Ann-Christin Leeser from Germany with her single pony who scored only 55,61 penalties in dressage and put down the only clear round in cones In any case each dressage test was a pleasure to watch since every competitor had the opportunity to chose among thousands of tunes the own preferred background music to accompany his or her performance thanks to very well organized speaker and sound expert Martina Chizzoli The judges’ panel was the best the international scene can offer President of the Jury of the Championship in Lipiça President at the European Four-in-Hand Championship in Goteborg and S they were all very compliant by judging all classes starting from the lowest level national competitors They all agreed that it was a small but very well organized competition thanks to the highly competent AFAC-Team of local amateur drivers and to the conspicuous group of soldiers fulfilling all possible tasks As to the surroundings there is only one definition: gorgeous Compliments for the professional approach were extended by the Jury to the qualified stewards from Hungary and Austria TD Roland Morat and CD Gabriele Panier Suffat and to the Event Secretary Valeria Nicolis Section A of the marathon was rather testing Section B instead  was easier on the horses since the obstacles were built taking into consideration the general level of the drivers divided into national and international classes in order to make the competition affordable A more technical layout would be the goal if the participation at future editions will attract a palette of high level athletes from abroad The few foreigners who ventured to this unknown location were enthusiastic and are already asking the date of next year’s event to fix it in their agenda with all the civilian and military authorities as well as the Head of the Driving Department of the National Federation Trotting proudly with their national flag towards the main square a few turnouts were happy to represent them all while the remaining competitors converged on foot with a 1 Km walk that gave everybody the opportunity to enjoy the atmosphere of a town dating far back in time Winner of the Single Horse class was Italian driver Luca Cassottana in the Pairs the best performance was offered by Giorgio Proietti while Giulia Arreghini in the Single Pony and Emilio Gamba in the Pony Pairs had the best results German Young Driver Ann-Christin Leeser won the prize for the best performance in the show and emerging Junior Sara Bombelli for the excellent performance as the youngest competitor in order to keep up the quality and running of the event is to attract in the future as many competitors as possible with the convincement that they would not regret it If a feedback from abroad will show interest in participating a convenient date earlier in the year will be set as soon as possible­­­ Click here for the results. ‘s wereld meest toonaangevende mensport website Website powered by Analyst ICT the word “utopia” stems from the Greek ou-topos—which means “no place” or “nowhere”—but also refers to eu-topos meaning “a good place.” The very origins of the word therefore reflect the question of whether a good or perfect place can ever exist religious reformers and visionary starchitects alike have attempted to answer that question by establishing spiritual communes and crafting masterplans for cities of the future we highlight seven that didn’t quite pan out The Venetian model city of Palmanova from Georg Braun and Franz Hogenberg, 1572-1680 Built strategically near what is now the Slovenian border to defend against the Ottoman Empire in the late 16th century the fortress city of Palmanova boasted some of the era’s most cutting-edge military features including nine protruding ramparts as well as a surrounding moat and three guarded entryways Its harmonious radial symmetry was intended to reflect the goodness of its incoming inhabitants—except no one actually wanted the risk of living in what was essentially a military citadel the Venetian government pardoned prisoners and gave them property in the city to fill its street Palmanova is home to about 5,400 residents “The whole place feels like a post-apocalyptic space station from a science-fiction movie.” three college graduates bought six acres of land in southern Colorado a community in which punishment was prohibited the inhabitants of this early “hippie commune” all got along: They planted gardens and built their signature geodesic dome residences from recycled materials Drop City’s death bell starting ringing in early 1967 when one particularly unruly member proposed hosting a “Joy Fest” for music and art As the number of residents—and the use of illegal drugs—escalated members began abusing the communal funds for personal goods Finding it increasingly difficult to stick to their no-punishment rule the founders eventually gave up and abandoned their utopian dream Presented in 1924, Le Corbusier’s plan for the Ville Radieuse (Radiant City) never actually came to fruition—though many of its principles went on to influence modern planning and urban housing complexes across the globe The city was to operate as a “living machine”: Different areas would be designated for commercial and residential purposes; a transportation deck in the city center would connect city dwellers to housing districts consisting of towering premade buildings called “Unités.” Though it was envisioned as a utopian city modern-day manifestations of Corbusier’s ideas have drawn criticism for their lack of public spaces and a general disregard for livability Unité-like apartment complexes on urban fringes are now subject to high levels of poverty and crime Le Corbusier’s nemesis and fellow starchitect envisioned a different city for America—one that resembled more of a cookie-cutter suburb than a bustling metropolis with more open space and sprawling landscape than skyscrapers His city was based on modern technologies found in the automobile and standardized mechanical production; everything from the size of roads to the proximity of schools and commerce would be based on “a new standard of space measurement—the man seated in his automobile.” However Wright’s contemporaries found his plan wasteful and egotistical Art historian Meyer Schapiro deemed it “perfectly consistent with physical and spiritual decay.” The incident occurred during the early afternoon hours of Sunday It is believed that the man was in the water swimming when he suddenly got into difficulty for as yet unknown reasons.  The emergency services were alerted and patrols from the Guardia Civil were promptly in attendance at the location An ambulance from the Servei d’Atencio Medica Urgent (SAMU-061) was also deployed Despite their best efforts to revive the man, they were unable to save his life and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The man’s body was subsequently transferred to the Institute of Legal Medicine, as reported by ultimahora.es ___________________________________________________________ Thank you for taking the time to read this article. Do remember to come back and check The Euro Weekly News website for all your up-to-date local and international news stories and remember, you can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our Euro Weekly News alerts to get the latest stories into your inbox! Known as the PEOPLE’S PAPER, Euro Weekly News is the leading English language newspaper in Spain. And it’s FREE! Covering the Almeria, Axarquia, Costa Blanca North, Costa Blanca South, Costa del Sol , Costa Calida, Mallorca and beyond, EWN supports and inspires the individuals, neighbourhoods, and communities we serve, by delivering news with a social conscience. Whether it’s local news in Spain, UK news or international stories, we are proud to be the voice for the expat communities who now call Spain home. With around half a million print readers a week and over 1.5 million web views per month, EWN has the biggest readership of any English language newspaper in Spain. The paper prints over 150 news stories a week with many hundreds more on the web – no one else even comes close. Our publication has won numerous awards over the last 25 years including Best Free Newspaper of the Year (Premios AEEPP), Company of the Year (Costa del Sol Business Awards) and Collaboration with Foreigners honours (Mijas Town Hall). All of this comes at ZERO cost to our readers. All our print and online content always has been and always will be FREE OF CHARGE. Download our media pack in either English or Spanish. Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. There is a fine tradition of Utopias going terribly wrong when people tried to put their ideals into practice I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice the lawyer and philosopher Thomas More wrote a book with an unhelpfully unwieldy title: Libellus vere aureus de optimo rei publicae statu deque nova insula Utopia We can just call it Utopia – an original name for an original and hugely influential idea but it hints at an alternative meaning: when the book was first published in 1516 it included a short poem claiming that the better world More described really was “Eutopie” playing on the British inability to distinguish between the pronunciation of the two terms and it suggests that something’s not quite right (The word “dystopia” seems to be a much later invention.) Is this paradise That’s assuming the place really is meant to be a paradise in the first place in More’s book Utopia is described by a traveller called Raphael Hythloday who bends the narrator’s ear with a survey of our own corrupt far-from-happy side of the world before enthusiastically describing how much better things are in the island republic of Utopia on the far side of the world There is no such thing as private property there and no sectarian strife – but there is a welfare state (incorporating state-sanctioned euthanasia) a programme of rehabilitative slavery for Utopian criminals a six-hour working day (many enjoy their work so much that they work longer and a general disdain for gold and silver (which are used to make chamber-pots) Reason governs all – at least until Christianity comes along Hythloday’s description of Utopia has meant different things to different readers it could be drawn on as a prototype for Communism A historian interested in the Tudor period could draw satirical lines between Utopia and the disorderly London that More knew all too well in his capacity as one of the city’s undersheriffs (he once had to face down a rioting mob) A good Roman Catholic familiar with him primarily as Saint Thomas More (he was canonized in 1935) could point out how divorce married priests and euthanasia might not fit that easily with their beliefs All of these approaches ought to make us question what we think is going on in the book just as More’s contemporaries and fellow humanists were invited to do It started a centuries-spanning conversation – one sign of the book’s greatness – which this week takes the form of the London School of Ecomomics’ Space for Thought literary festival the “power of dreams and the imagination and.. the benefits of looking at the world in different ways” there is also a fine tradition of Utopias going terribly wrong when people tried to put their ideals into practice It is true that some “intentional communities” that show how acting on a dream can sometimes land you in a nightmare You find yourself in a street in a small city – exactly which city is hard to say because all the streets in all the cities on this island are equal in size and virtually identical in appearance All the buildings are the same height (three storeys each) and are constructed from the same materials the capital of city of the island-state of Utopia where the very idea of a “public house” is redundant: every house is “public” because no house is “private” and the double doors to each of those identical houses around you are not locked You could walk into any one of them right now The Utopians find this architectural uniformity saves them a lot of collective mental adjustment when they move house – which they do in a regular and orderly fashion every decade As you would soon discover on your journey through Utopia – for which you would need a special licence by the way – this is indeed a society founded on reason organised rationally for the benefit of all And the ultimate benefit of this rational hierarchy is pleasure – not just “any kind of pleasure” You don’t need to be a raging libertarian to realise that living in the Utopia of all Utopias the design of the Italian city of Palmanova is striking It was originally a nine-pointed star citadel with ramparts and a moat as part of the Venetian Republic’s defences against the Ottoman Empire Overseen by the veteran military architect Giulio Savorgnan with the most up-to-date defences built in its construction was intended to express ideals of social harmony at the same time as warding off any barbarians at the gates The only snag was: nobody wanted to live there The Venetians eventually resorted to pardoning criminals and offering them financial incentives to settle Since later regimes kept on adding to Palmanova’s defensive perimeter an English visitor in the 18th century could say Palmanova was “beautifully laid out This immobile Renaissance Death Star barely ever saw any military action perhaps because nobody could be bothered to attack it the satirical narrative The Isle of Pines has been called a “pornotopia” It tells of Dutch sailors who are blown off course in the southern hemisphere are welcomed on shore by naked islanders speaking English This community turns out to have been founded by an English bookkeeper called George Pines (swap around the surname’s vowels for the obvious joke) who was also blown off course and made landfall with only “my master’s daughter He sleeps with the first three women quite openly; the fourth “seeing what we did By the time the Dutch arrive on the island nature has taken its course: it is George’s grandson who rules the roost and rebellion is stirring one branch of his extensive (yet closely related) family The Dutch help to restore order and then leave incests and adultery” abound in this island paradise and seeing that the civilised advantages with which the colony’s founders arrived have been forgotten It’s difficult to say what Neville’s getting at but some have read it as a kind of politically charged parable Some Utopias fizzled out before they had even properly begun The literary lives of Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Robert Southey could have been very different if only they’d had a little more money in their younger days when Southey had already been discussing radical notions such as the abolition of private property with his friend George Burnett Coleridge added his republican views to the mix and they cooked up a scheme for immigrating to North America to set up a “Pantisocratic” community founded on egalitarian principles They identified the banks of the Susquehanna river as the place for a dozen families to start over It’s once the Pantisocrats started looking into practical matters such as money that they realised they couldn’t even get to Pennsylvania Southey suggested they take servants with them to do the hard graft He eventually settled for a farm in Wales and was Poet Laureate to the monarchy Coleridge had condemned it centred on the cotton mills that only closed in 1968; its inhabitants had been the beneficiaries of some laudable Utopian socialist principles most famously those of the Welsh reformer Robert Owen Many of the original residents had come from urban poorhouses Owen built houses for them and opened the first school for infants in Britain in 1817 As somebody who saw his business turn a profit but also saw his employees as more than just a workforce to be used and abused Owen stands as a historical rebuke to more cynical capitalists of all ages though: what did the Utopian conditions of New Lanark mean in the 19th century A single room for a whole family; thousands of people lived like that And although Owen’s successors respected his legacy they failed to invest in machinery to keep up with competition New Lanark is now a World Heritage Site with a hotel and deserves its high reputation – but it’s all too easy to take a rose-tinted view of its essentially industrial history and a sobering thought that such conditions could be called a success There’s much to admire about New Lanark – you can still visit it yourself and even stay in the cotton mill converted into a hotel – but imagine living there for real that a French lawyer called Étienne Cabet wrote his utopian fantasy its success led Cabet to think about putting his ideas into action on the other side of the Atlantic He imagined 10,000 people pulling together in communist harmony – in Texas things started going wrong straight away: for a start there weren’t 10,000 Icarians; more like 69 pioneers made the initial journey (and Cabet himself wasn’t one of them) Then it turned out the Texan land agent had conned them into buying a completely impractical checker-board pattern of land A course of further misfortunes led them to try again at Nauvoo in western Illinois only for Cabet to mess up by trying to impose his own personal authority on the scheme He went off with 170 followers; the Nauvoo colony petered out and those survivors clinging to their principles moved to a second Icarian colony which stuck it out until almost the end of the century “The happy colonists are vegetarians and teetotallers...who help one another to build houses and to settle on their own little estates sell the collected fruits and share the proceeds games and hobbies.” The Australian reporter who wrote these words in 1933 had seen an extraordinary thing: a group of Finns led by a charismatic yet fraudulent man called Toivo Uuskallio living in a former coffee plantation called Fazenda Penedo Uuskallio wanted to help “solve the terrible problem of world unemployment” He wanted “a party of poor children from the East End of London” to come out and join him Penedo’s soil had been drained of nutrients during its time as a plantation There was an infestation of leaf-cutter ants and a series of forest fires Some followers went home; others were trapped there They only got some shares in the land of their own after taking costly legal action against their leader it was here that Brazilians were introduced to the delights of the sauna (The Finns’ assets turned out to be the culture they had brought with them.) Uuskallio himself died of starvation With Ben Wheatley’s film of the book out in March and city skylines becoming increasingly dominated by shards now seems like a good time to re-read High-Rise about everything going to the dogs (although it begins with one being eaten by its owner) in a luxury skyscraper Stratified by both economic and social class isolated from the rest of the world (even though the City of London is only a couple of miles away) High-Rise describes how a populace of 2,000 tower dwellers descend into bloody chaos Tribes from rival floors fight for control of the mod cons; they become incapable of meeting strangers except with suspicion or even aggression And it is their being trapped in a vertical “concrete landscape” – an environment “built but for man’s absence” – that seems to have this unravelling effect Ballard wrote the book following the rise of the Brutalist style of modern architecture exemplified by Ernö Goldfinger’s Trellick Tower in Kensington Even as that block of flats opened in 1972 it was clear that tower blocks could cause drastic social problems There was a price to pay for their soaring ambitions Perhaps it’s no coincidence that the first sign of trouble in High-Rise is a bottle of wine smashing on the protagonist’s balcony after it’s seemingly “knocked over the rail by a boisterous guest” at a party on the top floor the idea of living “off-grid” came to Dylan Evans He duly found a good spot for establishing an independent community up in the Scottish Highlands and issued an online invitation to others to join him Things did not go according to plan: his book The Utopia Experiment begins with him waking up at 3am in a psychiatric hospital simple and appealing; a group of voluntary Utopians would live over a strictly limited period of 18 months Utopianism isn’t just a whimsical side-project here but a potential survival strategy The Utopia Experiment wryly tells of battling to keep the Scottish rain out of home-made yurts arguments over religion – even somebody cutting a finger while chopping wood and having to be driven to hospital Is it really about founding a better way of life – or is it merely a sign of depression “To call something Utopian is...not entirely positive...The connotation of a perfect society is offset by that of a hopelessly impractical ideal” Michael Caines will be one of the speakers at ‘We Don’t Have to Live Like This: Experiments in Utopian Living’ part of the LSE Space for Thought literary festival http://www.lse.ac.uk Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Maltese tennis player Francesca Curmi rubberstamped her impressive skills with a performance that took her to the quarter-finals of a ranked ITF tennis tournament held in Spain Curmi ousted her opponents from the tournament in the preliminaries and pressed on to see out another two of the highest-ranked athletes Curmi came out on top against German Sina Hermann (447) She then claimed another win against Italian Federica Bilardo (726) reaching the quarter-final of the tournament only exited the tournament after a hard-fought loss against Spanish national Hoste Ferrer (665) The tournament had Curmi engage in a match (or more) every single day from 14th March a substantial amount of ranking points are needed in order to be eligible Her success in the tournament is doubly impressive considering her return to competition in January this year Interference from COVID-19 restrictions and disruptions in training had caused the 19-year-old to seek a hiatus since last July she kept her form in check by retaining her grueling training regime at Barcelona which is overseen by several professionals in the field sees Curmi take part in a combination of physical and tennis training for as much as six hours per day With a promising future paved before the young athlete her eyes remain firmly fixed on upcoming challenges that would see her continue to fly Malta’s name up high Share to raise awareness of Francesca’s awesome journey Kindly check your inbox after sign-up to confirm subscription Kindly check your inbox after sign-up to confirm subscription.