Cividale del Friuli

Julius Caesar founded the town, and after 568 it became the seat of the first Lombard duchy in Italy, which is why the Tempietto Longobardo survives here: a small hall of the eighth century with six life-size stucco female figures in relief above the door, among the very few large-scale sculptures to survive from that period in western Europe, alongside carved stonework and later frescoes. It was UNESCO-listed in 2011 with other Lombard sites. The Devil's Bridge crosses the Natisone on a single arch resting on a natural rock in midstream, rebuilt after damage in 1917. Ribolla Gialla wine is made in the surrounding hills.

History

People lived here in the Palaeolithic and Neolithic, and in the Iron Age the region was settled by the Veneti and the Celts. After the destruction of Aquileia and Iulium Carnicum in 452, Forum Iulii became the chief town of the district and gave Friuli its name, and in 568 it was the first major centre taken by Alboin, king of the Lombards (Wikipedia, Cividale del Friuli).

What's there

• The Tempietto Longobardo - eighth-century stucco figures above the door.
• The Devil's Bridge - a single arch resting on a rock in the river.
• The Natisone gorge - green water in a rock channel below the town.
• The archaeological museum - Lombard grave goods and metalwork.

When to go

April to October; the Tempietto keeps limited hours and closes at midday. The Mittelfest performing arts festival runs in July. Winter is cold and quiet.

Before you go

The Tempietto is one small room with short opening hours and limited capacity. The town is compact. Museum hours vary by season.

Nearby

Udine lies west; the Slovenian border is close.

Key facts