Torre Palù

Torre Palù is one of the oldest hydraulic structures in the area. Its construction, like that of other towers and sluices, responded to the growing need to regulate water drainage in an area undergoing continuous transformation. The natural evolution of the Delta and land reclamation works rendered the 17th-century Torre Abate ineffective from a hydraulic point of view, making it necessary to build a new structure. The choice fell on the mouth of the Canal Bianco, which at the time overlooked the Sacca dell'Abate, later to become the current Sacca di Goro.

Torre Palù was built in 1751 according to a design by architect Giacomo Jacomelli: a brick tower with a ‘fabbrica’, or annexed accommodation for the caretaker and operator of the hydraulic system.

As had already happened to Torre Abate, Torre Palù also suffered the effects of territorial changes over time and, with the gradual retreat of the coastline, was abandoned towards the end of the 19th century.

Built entirely on the canal, Torre Palù is a unique hydraulic structure. While retaining the traditional Venetian gates for regulating the water, it presents innovative construction solutions compared to previous hydraulic buildings, reflecting the technical evolution of the period.