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Comune di Cividale del Friuli
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Friuli-Venezia Giulia
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Udine (UD)
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50
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11,355
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227
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CET , UTC +1
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Rualis, Grupignano, Rubignacco, Gagliano, Purgessimo, Sanguarzo, Spessa, Carraria, Fornalis, San Giorgio
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0432
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33043
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Cividalesi
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San Donato
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wwwcomunecividale-del-friuliudit
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(
Friulian ''Cividât'',
Slovenian ''Čedad'') is a town in Northern
Italy , close to and east of
Udine , whose
Province it belongs to. The town is in the foothills of the eastern
Alps close to the
Slovenia n border. Formerly an important regional power, it is today a quiet, small town that attracts tourists thanks to its medieval center.
Cividale was founded by
Julius Caesar in
50 BC , with the name of ''Forum Iulii'' ("Julius' Forum"). Archaeological findings have revealed that the area was already settled by
Veneti and
Celt s.
In
568 the city was the first major centre occupied by
Alboin 's
Lombard invasion of
Italy , then part of the
Byzantine Empire . The city was chosen as first capital of the newly-formed
Lombard Kingdom . After the latter was destroyed by the
Frank s, in the
8th Century , Cividale changed its name to ''Civitas Austriae'', whence the current name stems. When the Patriarch State of
Friuli was founded, in
1077 , Cividale was chosen as the capital. In
1420 Cividale was annexed to the
Republic Of Venice .
After the
Napoleonic Wars parenthesis, Cividale became part of the
Kingdom Of Italy in
1866 .
The historical center of the town is dominated by Piazza del Duomo, which is where the National Archeological Museum is located. Closeby is the , constructed in
1565 and designed by
Andrea Palladio . The town is split in two by the Natisone River, which is spanned by the impressive '''
Devil's Bridge ''' (15th century, rebuilt in 1911). Also notable is the '''Celtic Hypogeum''', a subterranean series of halls carved in the rock in ancient times, whose destination remains unclear: uses as either Celtic funerary monument or a Roman (Lombard) jail has been proposed.
The (Duomo) was built in the
15th Century over a pre-existing construction built in the
8th Century . It is a
Venetian Gothic building, finished in the
16th Century by architect
Pietro Lombardo , featuring interventions from the
18th Century also. The interior houses a notable altar dedicated to the Madonna, in the right aisle, and the Silver Pale of Pellegrino II, patriarch from 1195 to 1204. The Christian Museum annexed to the Duomo houses outstanding examples of Lombard sculpture.
The (also known as '''Lombard Temple'''), next to the Natisone river, is a notable example of High Middle Ages art. Included in the old Lombard quarter, it was probably used as Palatine Chapel by the Lombard dukes and king's functionaries. The statues and
Stucco es housed in the interior show a strong
Byzantine influence.
The town has a number of small osterias which serve distinctive local wines. Of particular note are ''Verduzzo friulano'' and ''Refosco dal peduncolo rosso''.
The town is easily accessible by rail from
Udine and by bus from
Gorizia .
