Udine
The city of Udine stands in the center of Friuli Venezia Giulia near a wide-ranging and pleasant arch of glacial hills on the way that connects Southern to North-Eastern Europe.
The name of Udine was recorded for the first time in 983 when the Imperator Ottone II of Germany gave the castle of Udine to Rodoaldo, the Patriarch of Aquileia, together with those of Buga, Fuganea, Groang and Braitan. It is only in 1096 that "Castrum Utini" is mentioned for the first time in an official document when Imperator Ottone II gave the castle of Udine and some other places to the Patriarch of Aquileia. In 1223 Patriarch Bertoldo of Andechs-Merania accorded to the city of Udine the right for marketing so the little village became a city.
During the XII and XIV centuries Udine had a very important expansion, but only in 1420 it changed thoroughly: in fact it was annexed to the Republic of Venezia together with all the Friuli area.
The city was then subjected to many Turkish raids (from 1472 to 1499) and to two great wars: the first one between the Republic of Venice and Imperator Maximilian (1508-1514) and the second between Venetians and Imperials (the war of Gradisca 1615-1617).
In 1797 Napoleonic troops invaded Friuli and it became part of Austrian territories as a consequence of the Campoformido's Treaty. On 2nd October 1866 the province of Udine was annexed to the Italian Kingdom. During World War I (1915-1918) Udine was the seat of the general headquarters of the Italian army. In 1963 the city and its province formed together with Trieste, Gorizia e Pordenone the Indipendent Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia with Special Statute.
Udine is a lively and dynamic art city which rises right in the heart of Friuli, midway between the sea and the mountains; this is a man-sized city which concentrates in itself culture, history and eno-gastronomy, and modernity enriches a tradition which is well-rooted on the territory.
An ideal starting point for a visit to the city of Udine is the Castle, built at the end of the XVI century and seat of the Civic Museums and the Art and History Galleries, which host several collections of works by Tiepolo and Modigliani. The Castle overlooks the magnificent Piazza della Libertŕ, repeatedly said to be “ the most beautiful Venetian square on the mainland”, whose most important element is the elegant Loggia del Lionello, a splendid example of Venetian Gothic style; opposite you will see the Renaissance loggia di San Giovanni, a portico which incorporates the Clock Tower, under which, in ancient times, the main gate to the Castle used to open.
Walking along via Mercatovecchio, with its
suggestive historical buildings and elegant and modern
shops, you enter the beating heart of Udine:
piazza Matteotti, known also as piazza San Giacomo
or Mercato Nuovo, an extremely busy place where the
fountain designed by Giovanni da Udine in 1543, has
been placed.
Through via delle Erbe and via Savorgnana you will reach the
square with the Duomo, where you will
admire the majestic sacred building named after the Holy
Mary, which contains sculptures and valuable frescoes, right
next to the point of departure of this itinerary.
For information:
Agenzia di informazione e accoglienza turistica di Udine
Piazza I Maggio 7, 33100 Udine
tel. 0432 295972 fax 0432 504743
info@udine-turismo.it
Courtesy of
Turismo Friuli Venezia Giulia
© 1997-2010 Enrico Massetti
TangoItalia - Food, Wine, Travel, and... tango in Italy.
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