Cividale del Friuli
A city with ancient roots
Cividale del Friuli is a city with a millennial history, founded in the Roman era by Julius Caesar and called "Forum Iulii". The name of the city is a clear indication of its importance as a commercial and trading center even back then.
A strategic location for the city
The city is located in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region and covers an area of 49.50 km² between the hills of eastern Friuli, in the Natisone Valleys, at the foot of the mountains, on the bank of the Natisone River, and is located 17 km from Udine. The strategic location of the city made it a highly coveted and contested destination since ancient times.
A city with ancient origins
Cividale del Friuli bears witness to human presence since prehistoric times, with Paleolithic and Neolithic stations. There are also abundant testimonies from the Iron Age and the presence of Veneti and Celts dating back to the fourth century BC. The city was already a center of exchange and commerce back then.
The city at the birth of Italy
During the Roman period, the primitive settlement was chosen by the Romans as a place of settlement and was called "Castra". Later, Gaius Julius Caesar elevated it to "Forum Iulii" and the city became the capital of the Lombard Duchy of Friuli.
The city during the Lombard period
In 568 the Lombards, of Scandinavian origin, arrived and immediately chose Forum Iulii as the capital of the Duchy of Friuli in Italy, appointing the nephew of Alboin, king of the Lombards, as its duke. The Lombards renamed their capital "Civitas Fori Iulii" and built impressive and prestigious buildings there. In 610 the city was sacked and burned by the Avars, called by the Lombard king Agilulfo to punish the rebelliousness of the "Friulian" duke Gisulfo II of Friuli.
From the first inhabitants to the Celts
Human presence in the area of Cividale del Friuli dates back to times preceding the Roman era, as evidenced by prehistoric stations and testimonies from the Iron Age. The city represented a center of exchange and trade between Veneti and Celts since the fourth century BC.
The climate of Cividale del Friuli
The climate of the city is characterized by precipitation that is concentrated in the periods between March and May, with a slight decrease in the summer months and a resurgence in the late October and November. The temperate climate makes the city an ideal destination for anyone who wants to enjoy the tranquility and beauty of the landscape.
Cividale del Friuli is a city full of history, art and culture, where the testimonies of the past blend with the modernity of the present. A must-see for anyone wishing to discover the treasures of Italian and Friuli-Venezia Giulia history.
