Venzone

Venzone has been located along the obligatory passage towards the north since the time of the Celts in 500 BC; the Romans made the town their statio with attached castrum. Between 1000 and 1400, Venzone became a customs house, playing an important role in the control of commercial traffic.

It reached its maximum splendour in 1300 with the construction of the cathedral, the Town Hall and the walls as they are today. The 1976 earthquakes almost destroyed the medieval village, but Venzone was reborn thanks to a globally unique restoration using anastylosis.

Venzone has been a National Monument since 1965 and features a significant series of palazzi and noble residences dating back to between 1000 and 1700. Urban planning is typically medieval, with the imprint of Roman settlement. The main monument is the Romanesque-Gothic cathedral with a T-shaped cross plan, three presbyteries and two towers. It was consecrated in 1338 by the Patriarch of Aquileia and today is considered the exemplary monument of post-earthquake restoration.

Next to the cathedral is the 13th-century St. Michael's Cemetery Chapel, which houses mummies from the years 1348-1881 preserved by a natural process. From the 14th-century St. Genesius Gate, it is possible to appreciate the 14th-century circle of walls and the wide moat, while in the Town Hall Square is the Town Hall, dating from 1410.

Finally, the path of the small churches of Ss. Anna and Giacomo, S. Caterina, S. Antonio abate, and S. Lucia surround the village and also allows one to appreciate the natural environment where Venzone stands.

The municipality extends over 54.08 km2 and includes a large part of the basin of the Venzonassa water course, in addition to a stretch of the valley of the rivers Tagliamento and Fella. Located on the north-eastern slopes of Monte San Simeone and the western slopes of Monte Plauris, part of the area is within the Julian Prealps Park.

Beyond the historic centre stretch the outlying districts of Carnia, Pioverno and Portis, in addition to the villages of Sottomonte, San Giacomo and Rozza.

Venzone is a strategic cycling tourism hub, intersection of three of the region's main cycle paths, including the Alpe Adria-FVG1 which connects Salzburg to Grado.