Buja
Buja: a municipality with ancient history
Dear friends, today I want to talk to you about Buja, a municipality in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region with a fascinating ancient history. The municipality has around 6,331 inhabitants and is also known as "Buia" or "Buje" in Friulian.
The history of Buja
Unfortunately, Buja was hit by the Friuli earthquake of 1976, which caused the death of almost a thousand people and catastrophic damage to state buildings. Despite this, Buja managed to rebuild itself and today is a charming town with a remarkable cultural heritage.
Symbols of Buja
The town of Buja has a coat of arms and a banner recognized by the head of government in 1929. The banner consists of a purple cloth.
Monuments and places of interest in Buja
Buja is a town rich in monuments and places of interest to visit. One of these is the Cathedral of Santo Stefano, which stands on the site of two previous churches. The building, in neo-Gothic style, was designed by the architect Angelo Noacco and built between 1889 and 1898. The facade of the Cathedral, designed by Rodolfo Barnaba, was rebuilt in 1937 after the earthquake of 1976.
Inside, you will find a Madonna del Rosario from 1639, the baptismal font by Antonio Franzolini, and the Stallo del Coro by Matteo Deganutto. The Via Crucis was created by Domenico Fabris from Osoppo in 1873, and the new stained glass windows of the apse were painted by Count Alessandro Ricardi di Netro.
The Church of Cristo Re in Urbignacco was built in 1942 in a Romanesque style with three aisles and has beautiful mosaics from the school of Spilimbergo. In addition, there is a stone Piasentina Via Crucis by Max Piccini.
The Pieve of San Lorenzo Martire is located on the top of the highest of the seven hills of Buja. During the restoration and renovation work following the earthquake of 1976, traces of an ancient Paleochristian basilica from the fifth century were discovered. Inside the building, you can admire ten frescoes narrating stories of the Virgin.
The Church of the Blessed Virgin at Melotum in Madonna was rebuilt after the earthquake of 1976 and houses a famous wooden statue of the Madonna with Child, created by sculptor Domenico Da Tolmezzo in 1481. Before the reconstruction of the church, there was a sanctuary dedicated to the Madonna, where, according to legend, Mary appeared on an apple tree. The walls of the church show two paintings illustrating the Virgin on the Apple Tree.
Society in Buja
The population of Buja is around 6,331 inhabitants and is mainly composed of people who speak Italian and Friulian.
Conclusions
Buja is an enchanting town that offers a wide choice of monuments and places of interest. Its ancient history and cultural heritage are of great value and deserve a visit. I hope the information I have provided has piqued your interest and that it inspires you to visit this charming Friulian town.
