Italy: Palmanova

From Udine, we also made a quick trip by train to Palmanova UNESCO 2017. Palmanova looks really cool on the map (see first photo below). It's a nine-pointed star fortified city built by the Venetian in the 1600s. I had come across such geometric towns in Italy, probably in Sicily, during previous trip planning, but haven't made it to one yet. With only a 15-minute train ride from Udine, we had to check it out.

Four hundred years after its construction, there are still exactly three gates, 120 degrees apart. The city streets intersect at all different angles. In the center, the Piazza Grande is hexagonal. On the ground, Palmanova is less exciting to visit than it looks on the map, but I had expected that.

Here's a map of the nine-point star fortified city, with 3 concentric pointed defensive walls


Palmanova is a short train from Udine, and the train station is just a few meters from the tip of one of the 9 points. After a short walk, one reaches the Porta Udine gate and, BONUS, a section of a Venetian aqueduct.


There are color coded trails of varying lengths. One follows the moat (below)




Once through the Porta Udine, it was another 5 minutes to the city center, Piazza Grande.




Piazza Grande Map


The day we were in Palmanova they were setting up amusement rides for Oktoberfest events. That's the Duomo Dogale (Left). TEATRO GUSTAVO MODENA is also on the Piazza Grande.






Before catching the train back to Udine, we walked to the viewpoint above the Porta Aquileia Gate (1st below) to get a good look at the fortifications and moat (2nd below).

Italy: Udine

Udine is one of those quintessential Italian towns that we love. They make me want to just settle in for a while. The Alpe-Adria trail goes through town, which also enlivens the town. The Venetians were in charge in Udine for four centuries. Their imprints are very evident today. The highlights were the luminous colors of Tiepolo frescos. I'm sure we had come across him before, but this time he really caught our attention. Born in Venice 1696, he was arguable the best European painter of the 18th century - I had no idea.

With its striking clock tower, monumental statues, and historic twin columns that pay tribute to the city's deep Venetian roots, Piazza della Libertà is the heart of Udine. And along with the Renaissance-style Loggia di San Giovanni (2nd and 3rd below) facing opposite, it all combines to form what is often called the most beautiful Venetian-style square on mainland Italy.
















In the Cappella di Santa Maria del Monte di Pietà, there are two very compelling "Way of the Cross" paintings: "The Crowning with Thorns" and "The Flagellation of Christ". Both (1694) by Giulio Quaglio.




The Civic Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art was showing some fine late 19th century, early 20th-century paintings.






However, the highlight of our visit were the Giovanni Battista Tiepolo paintings of the period 1726 to 1729 at the Museo Diocesano e Gallerie del Tiepolo.


The Sacrifice of Isaac (1726 and 1728) by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo


The Judgment of Solomon (1726–1729) Giovanni Battista Tiepolo


Rachel Hiding the Idols from her Father Laban (1726 and 1728) by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo


These three paintings are all in one room, the Gallery of the Guests. Wow!


And we were happy to spot two 20th-century buildings we liked: The Rationalist Palazzo di Vetro (1935-1936 - 1st below) and the Former Cinema Odeon (1935 - 2nd below).

Italy: Udine - Cividale di Friuli

From Kranjska Gora, we headed to Trieste, which had been a "bucket list" item for John after reading Jan Morris's Trieste and the Meaning of Nowhere. Our original plan had been to bus back to Jesenice, train to Nova Gorica, bus across to Italian side Gorizia, then train to Trieste - 90% of the journey would be a repeat. We opted to go the other way, mostly through Italy.

To make the most of our time, we started early by first taking a bus back to Ratece, and walking through the village (1st below) to the border. We realized the other day we missed the village - it's a substantial one too. I was a little surprised the border was actually staffed, by a couple of young guards, no checks. The bus stop is 10 meters from their hut (2nd below).





The bus was right on time. We made the change in Tarvisio, and by 11:00, we were in Udine. We dropped off our bags and caught the train to Cividale di Friuli, UNESCO 2011, established by the Lombards in 568 as their first capital in Italy. The militant Lombards were Germanic speaking people who hailed originally from Scandinavia. They left the very unique 8th century Lombard Temple, which among others, earned Cividale the UNESCO World Heritage designation.

Leaving Tarvisio on the Bus to Udine


A farmer raking hay near Bottenicco as seen from the train to Cividale.


Arriving at Cividale, we first stopped at the Cathedral (Santa Maria Assunta) featuring a painting with San Sebastian tied to the column, and the more famous 12th-Century silver-plated "Pala di Pellegrino II" Altarpiece".








Before visiting the town's two major museums we walked on the Devil's Bridge over the Natisone River to eat our picnic lunch and admire the views.




The National Archaeological Museum of Cividale del Friuli is internationally renowned for housing one of Italy's most important collections of Lombard art, gold jewelry, and weapons from the early Middle Ages.






We were fascinated by the Lombard grave goods, particularly from the female tombs. In addition to jewelry and domestic items, each woman was buried with her dagger. Warrior women!






John was mesmerized by the grave of a young Lombard male (Tomba del Cavaliere -Tomb 43) and his horse, displayed in front of an illustration of an early medieval ritual procession from the town gates of Cividale.


The museum also housed The Bronzes of Zuglio.


Next, on to the unique 8th century Tempietto Longobardo (Lombard Temple), located inside the Monastery of Santa Maria in Valle whose Refectory Hall is shown below.


What makes the Tempietto Longobardo (Lombard Temple) unique? For one, six nearly life-size, standing female saints on the west end. And the mix of architectural styles: classical, medieval, and byzantine.








Adoration of the Magi - 8th-Century Altar of Duke Ratchis - Christian Museum and Treasury.