tourist information - Università degli Studi di Udine

UNIVERSITÀ
DEGLI STUDI
DI UDINE
INTERNATIONAL
STUDENT SERVICE
TOURIST INFORMATION
UDINE
The ideal starting point to visit the town is the hill where the castle is. There are many legends
about both the hill itself and the castle; the most intriguing of which tells how the soldiers of Attila
the Hun, transported soil in their helmets to built a hill which allowed their ferocious commander to
feast his eyes upon the sight of Aquileia burning in the distance. The castle was the residence of
chamberlains, patriarchs and Venetian governors over the centuries. The castle that exists today
was built on the site of the one destroyed in 1511 earthquake and has just been restored as it was
seriously damaged by another recent earthquake (1976). Inside the castle there is the remarkable
is the Hall of Parliament of the sovereign State of Friuli where Giambattista Tiepolo, G.B. Grassi
and Pomponio Amalteo worked. The Gallery of Art can be found on the first floor.
The house of the Confraternity of Santa Maria di Castello is the only building that survived the 1511
earthquake. The House of Peasantry, on the northern edge of the hill, was rebuilt in 1931, following
the plan of 15th century building that was once situated on the corner of Via Rauscedo and Via
Vittorio Veneto.
The church dedicated to St. Mary is probably the oldest in Udine, judging from extant fragments
dating back to the Longobard era. It lost its parochial status in 1263 when it was annexed to the
larger parish of Saint'Odorico (now the Cathedral). It has been renovated many times over the
centuries for e.g. the façade was entirely rebuilt after the catastrophic earthquake of 1511. Its three
naves preserve the suggestive atmosphere of silence and contemplation, which is often found in
old churches. The Venetian Governor, Tommaso Lippomano, commissioned the Venetian Gothic
"portico" with steps and ramps leading down the hill in 1487.
Turning away from the castle and going beyond the Bollani Arch, projected by Andrea Palladio
(1556), the visitor is met by the splendid view of Piazza Libertà, the heart of Udine. This
magnificent square is frequently referred to as "the most beautiful Venetian square on mainland".
The most important sights of the city are to be found here; the remains of a Venetian past that
began in 1420 and lasted until the end of the 18th century.
The most outstanding element of the square is undoubtely the famous "Loggia del Lionello" with its
alternating pink and white stone. It was begun in 1448 on a project by Nicolò Lionello, a local
goldsmith, and was rebuilt following a terrible fire in 1876. The new design was projected by the
architect Andrea Scala. Opposite the Loggia del Lionello is the Loggia di San Giovanni, a
Renaissance structure undertaken by Bernardino da Morcote. Other noteworthy monuments in the
square are the Fountain designed by Giovanni Carrara, an architect from Bergamo (1542); the
Columns bearing the Venetian Lion and the Statue of Justice (1614), the statues of Hercules and
Cacus and the Statue of Peace (1819) which was donated to Udine by Emperor Franz I to
commemorate the peace Treaty of Campoformido. Through Via Mercatovecchio, the most
characteristic street of the town, the visitor arrives at Piazza Matteotti-San Giacomo: this was the
first real square the city of Udine had, "an everyday real life atmosphere ".
There is a little antique fair here on the first Sunday of every month and a general market on
Thursday.In the centre of the square there is a fountain which was designed in 1543 by Giovanni
UNIVERSITÀ
DEGLI STUDI
DI UDINE
INTERNATIONAL
STUDENT SERVICE
da Udine, a pupil of Raffaello. The beautiful church of St. James, closes the west side of the
square and is one of the oldest in the city.
It was erected in 1378, its Lombardesque facade was projected by Bernardino da Morcote at the
beginning of the 16th century, while the chapel on the right side was added towards the middle of
the 17th century.
Walking past the front of the Town Hall one reaches the Cathedral. The Town Hall is made entirely
of Istrian stone, and was erected relatively recently: between 1910 and 1931. It is an example of
Art Nouveau designed by Raimondo D' Aronco the famous architect from Udine.
The Cathedral of Udine is an imposing edifice built on a Latin cross-shaped plan with three naves
and chapels along the sides.The oldest part goes back to 1335. At the beginning of th 18th century
a radical transformation project involving both the exterior and the interior was undertaken at the
request and expense of the Manin family. The Baroque interior has monumental dimensions and
contains many works of art by G.B. Tiepolo, P. Amalteo, L. Dorigny. On the ground floor of the bell
tower there is a chapel which is completely adorned with frescoes by Vitale da Bologna (1349).
Nearby, is the small Purity Oratory (1757) where you can admire one of the greatest masterpieces
by G.B. Tiepolo: "Our Lady of the Assumption". However it is in the Archibishop's Palace where the
best example of Tiepolo's style can be found.
We also suggest a visit to the Gallery of Modern Art and the Friulan Museum of Natural History.
In Udine, the Tourist Information Office is the place to go
If you need any practical information about the town, the region or the rest of the country.
Tourist Office
Piazza 1° Maggio n. 7, 33100 Udine
Tel: +39 0432 295972
Fax: +39 0432 504743
http://www.turismofvg.it
e-mail: [email protected]
The Castle
Piazzale del Castello
tel. 0432 271972/1591
Orario di apertura:
from 9.30 to 12.30 and from 15.00 to 18.00,
closed on Sundays and on Mondays afternoon.
Civica Galleria d’Arte Moderna
Palamostre
Via Ampezzo, 2
tel. 0432 295891
Orario di apertura:
from 9.30 to 12.30 and from 15.00 to 18.00,
closed on Sundays and on Mondays afternoon.
Museo Diocesano and Galleria del Tiepolo
Palazzo Patriarcale
Piazza Patriarcato, 1
tel. 0432 509195
Orario di apertura:
from 10.00 to 12.00 and from 15.30 to 18.30,
closed on Tuesdays.
Museo Friulano di Storia Naturale
Via Marangoni n. 39/41
tel. 0432 584711
UNIVERSITÀ
DEGLI STUDI
DI UDINE
INTERNATIONAL
STUDENT SERVICE