Founded by Julius Caesar with the name of Forum Iulii, from which the whole region took its name. The city's symbol is the Ponte del Diavolo (Italian bridge of the same name), suspended over the waters of the Natisone. It takes its name from a legend that the people of Cividale asked for the Devil's help in the construction...
Inscribed in the #UNESCO Heritage are the artifacts of Cividale Longobarda... #tuttitaly
Here we are in Cividale del Friuli, a beautiful village in Friuli Venezia Giulia, famous for its Devil's Bridge and the Lombard Temple.
History
Although Cividale was founded by Julius Caesar in the 2nd century BC. with the name Forum Iulii, the city boasts even more ancient origins. In the past, testimonies dating back to the Paleolithic, Neolithic, and Iron Age have been found.
In 568 A.D., the Lombards arrived in Cividale del Friuli and elected it as the capital of the first Lombard duchy in Italy. Later, the city passed under the dominion of the Republic of Venice, and then, in 1866, it was annexed to the Kingdom of Italy.
Today the city is the leader of the itinerary "The Lombards in Italy. The Places of Power (568-774 AD)", a route that allows you to discover the most beautiful places in the Friulian village.
What to see
Arriving in the main square, we find ourselves in front of the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, built in 1457 and rebuilt, following a collapse, in 1502, following the Renaissance style. We can admire a silver altarpiece by Pellegrino II and two canvases by Palma the Younger.
Also, in the square, we find the National Archaeological Museum of Cividale del Friuli, which preserves archaeological finds that tell the various dominations of the city, from the Roman to the Lombard and Byzantine dominations.
A few steps from the square, there is the Celtic Hypogeum, a series of underground rooms carved into the rock along the banks of the Natisone, which were used as prisons.
The Devil's Bridge
The symbol of the city is the devil's bridge. This is equipped, on both sides, with a balcony, which allows us to overlook the Natisone and enjoy a genuinely suggestive panorama.
The bridge, 22.50 m high, was built starting from 1442 and takes its name from the legend that interests it: it is said that the people of Cividale asked for the Devil's help in the construction.
According to legend, the Devil accepted the request in exchange for the soul of the first person who would cross the bridge. The Friulians agreed, but after the construction, which took place in a single night, they mocked the Devil by having an animal cross the bridge.
Lombard Temple
The Lombard Temple, contained in Santa Maria in Valle, is the most critical architectural testimony of the Lombard period. Alas, the Tempietto is currently closed for restoration.
On the occasion of the restoration of the wooden choir of the Lombard Temple, an additional route is proposed that, for a limited period, will allow you to admire the beautiful views of the Santa Maria in Valle complex, usually inaccessible. Going up to the old monastery, you will find yourself up to the theory of virgins and martyrs. You will also discover up close the medieval frescoes (12th-13th century) on the external walls of the Tempietto.
The Oratory of Santa Maria in Valle, freed from the benches, is now presented in its original version, dating back to the eighth century.
The stall restoration laboratory, set up in the church of S. Giovanni, offers the unique and unrepeatable possibility of seeing closely the carvings, decorations, and animal and mythological figures that adorn the benches and that are resurfacing in the original colors and shapes thanks to the meticulous work that the restorations carry out "live," under the eyes of the visitors.
The additional route is accessible only on Mondays and Wednesdays. For info and reservations: informacitta@cividale.net or www.tempiettolongobardo.it
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