Chions
Chions: a thousand-year-old town in Friuli
Welcome to Chions, a town located in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, with a population of approximately 5,067 inhabitants. In this article, we will talk about the origins of its name, its thousand-year-old history, its symbolic icons, its demographic evolution, and its main hamlets.
Origins of the name
The toponym Chions, attested as early as 1072 as "Chaum", "Caum", and "Caono", derives from the Latin term "cavus", meaning "artificial canal", with the addition of the suffix "-one". The peculiarity of the Friulian toponym is the presence of the final "-s".
History
The area of Chions was already inhabited by Celts and Romans, but the historical attestation of the settlement of Villa Caum dates back to 1072. In this period, there was a "centa", a rural medieval fortress, of which a trace is still present in a raised area of land and in the bell tower of the parish church.
After the dominion of the Panigai, Chions passed to the Serenissima like the rest of Friuli. Only between 1575 and 1585, the feud of Tajedo was at the center of a dispute that opposed the Altan and Savorgnan families, which saw the participation of numerous prominent figures including the Doge of Venice and the Patriarch of Aquileia.
Symbols
The coat of arms and the banner of the Municipality of Chions were granted in 1955. The banner is a red and white flag.
Society
Demographic evolution
The demographic evolution of Chions has seen a growth of foreign minorities in recent years. As of December 31, 2015, foreigners living in the municipality were 538, 10.37% of the population. The largest groups are Romanians, Albanians, and Indians.
Languages and dialects
Chions has Friulian origins, but the local Venetian has supplanted the use of Friulian. The official list of Friulian-speaking municipalities has excluded Chions due to the reduced presence of Friulian.
Human geography
Hamlets
Chions' principal hamlets are Villotta, Basedo, Taiedo, and Torrate.
Torrate
Torrate is a hamlet of particular historical importance. Here stands a castle built between the 11th and 12th centuries, owned by the Sbrojavacca family. Torrate played an important role in the history of the region and still represents a tourist attraction today.
Chions is a town with a thousand-year history, rich in traditions, legends, and popular festivals. If you love Friulian history and culture, we invite you to visit this beautiful town, where you will find the beauty of nature combined with the history and traditions of Friuli-Venezia Giulia.
