The Dogal Cathedral dedicated to the Most Holy Redeemer, built between 1615 and 1636 by the Venice Fortifications Office, is one of the most prestigious buildings overlooking Piazza Grande.

Its history, as Gabriella Del Frate says, "reflects the political, military, and social vicissitudes connected to the construction of the fortress, which arose in 1593 by the will of the Venetian senate". 

The facade made of white Orsera stone and gray Aurisina stone, is divided into two orders: a lower one, characterized by giant semi-columns and three entrances (the central one larger and two smaller side ones); an upper one, featuring three niches that house the statues of the Most Holy Redeemer in the center, and of Saints Mark and Justina on the sides. 

On the tympanum, there is a statue of the winged lion: the original version destroyed by the French in 1797, was replaced with the current one, a sculpture by the artist Ferdinando Busetti from Palmanova, created between 1893 and 1894. 

The measurements of the bell tower of reduced height are due to the typical rule of fortress design whereby no construction should be exposed to the range of enemy artillery. 

The interior of the church is characterized by a single nave of considerable size, covered by trusses in oak beams. Notable are some highly valuable artworks including the "Pala delle Milizie" by Alessandro Varotari known as the Padovanino, the small wooden Madonna attributed to Domenico da Tolmezzo, and in particular the gallery with portraits of some of the general superintendents of the fortress located in the sacristy.

Gabriella Del Frate reminds us that "The general superintendents were immediately concerned with ensuring adequate religious assistance within the fortress under construction". 

"On September 8, 1895 - continues Del Frate - with Superintendent Giovanni Mocenigo, the date was set for laying the first stone of the main church of the fortress".

"In 1599 the Council of Pregadi, appointing Alvise Priuli as superintendent, decided to build a church according to the design taken from the Church of San Cosma e Damiano on the Giudecca in Venice. But Priuli, handing over command of the fortress in May 1600, managed to gather only a large quantity of stones for the construction of the future church". 

"With the appointment of Girolamo Cappello as General Superintendent of Palma, which took place in 1602, we can speak of the laying of the first stone for the construction of the cathedral".  

As Francesco Antonini (Palmanova, Zel Edizioni, 2021) aptly says "it is the cathedral of a fortress, not of an art city". 

This is evident from the very modest height of the bell tower, which is such not due to a designer's error, but to avoid providing reference points and becoming a target for the artillery of besiegers.