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Travelling around Italy Hotels - San Floriano del Collio |
Udine
The city stands in the centre 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 the city 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 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 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.
What to see:
Among the most important buildings of Udine there are:
the Castle of Udine "Castello di Udine" housing the Art Gallery (Galleria di Storia e Arte) and other museums such as: "Museo del Risorgimento", "Armeria" and "Civici Musei";
the magnificent square "Piazza Libertà" surronded by important monuments such as: the famous "Loggia del Lionello" made of white and pink stones, the 16th "Torre dell' orologio" with two Moors striking the hours on top of it and the "Fountain" built in 1542 on design by Giovanni Carrara; "Arco di Bollani";
many palaces and museums such as: "Palazzo Arcivescovile" with beautiful paintings by Giovanbattista Tiepolo, "Palazzo Antonini", "Palazzo Bartolini", "Museo del Duomo", "Galleria d'arte moderna", "Museo della città".
As regards churches among the oldest there are:
the Church devoted to Saint Giacomo "Chiesa di San Giacomo" built in 1378 in order that Masses could be celebrated for all the people working on the old market square Piazza San Giacomo;
the Cathedral "Duomo di Udine" built in 1236 with some important works by G.B. Tiepolo, P. Amalteo and L. Dorigny; the church "Chiesa di San Francesco";
the church "Chiesa della Purità" painted by G.B. Tiepolo and G.D. Tiepolo;
the sanctuary "Santuario Santa Maria delle Grazie" important for its Byzantine Ikon believed to be able to recover from every illness;
there are also: the church devoted to S. Antonio "Chiesa di S.Antonio Abate" and the church "Chiesa di S.Maria".