Udine

 

(ū'dēnā) , city (1991 pop. 99,189), capital of Udine prov., Friuli–Venezia Giulia, NE Italy. Manufactures include machinery, textiles, metals, and chemicals. In the 10th cent. Emperor Otto II gave the city to the patriarchs of Aquileia, who made it their capital (13th cent.). Udine has been the chief city of Friuli since the 15th cent. It passed to Venice in 1420 and to Austria in 1797 and 1814, and it was annexed by Italy in 1866. In World War I the city was the headquarters of the Italian army (1915–17) and was occupied by Austria (1917–18). In the Piazza della Liberta, the main square, are the Loggia di San Giovanni (16th cent.), with a clock tower; the Gothic town hall (1457); and a fine fountain (16th cent.). Overlooking Udine is a castle (early 16th cent.), which was the seat of the Venetian governors and now houses a museum of painting and numismatics. Nearby is Campo Formio, where a treaty between France and Austria was signed (1797).

Comune di Udine
Municipal coat of arms
Country	Italy
Region	Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Province	Udine (UD)
Mayor	Sergio Cecotti
Elevation	m ( ft)
Area	km² ( sq mi)
Population (as of December 31, 2006)
- Total
- Density	/km² (/sq mi)
Time zone	CET, [[UTC+1]]
Coordinates	46°04′N, 13°14′E
Gentilic	Udinesi
Dialing code	0432
Postal code	33100
Frazioni	see list
Patron	Sts. Ermacoras and Fortunatus
- Day	July 12
Website: www.comune.udine.it

Udine (Friulian Udin, Slovene Videm) is a city in northeastern Italy, capital of the historical region of Friuli, in the middle of Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, between the Adriatic sea and the Alps (Alpi Carniche), less than 40 km from the Slovenian border. Its population was 96,750 in 2006, 169,000 with the urban area.

History

Udine was the historical starting point for a route over the Saifnitz or Pontebba Pass to Villach by way of Pontebba and Tarvisio. It lay on the Roman road the Via Julia Augusta, but there is no sign of Roman occupation. Founded in 983, after the decline of Aquileia (an important Roman city) and Forum Iulii, Udine became important for commerce, and was for 4 centuries capital of patriarchate of Aquileia (see Aquileian Rite). In the 1230s the seat of the patriarchate of Aquileia was transferred to Udine, giving its Romanesque cathedral new prominence. In 1420 Udine became part of Venetian territory. It remained a part of the Republic of Venice until 1797, when Napoleon yielded Venice and her territories to Austria in the Treaty of Campo Formio, signed in 1796 in Campoformido, a village about 4 miles west of Udine. In 1866 it was annexed by the kingdom of Italy as part of the unification of Italy.

Main sights

The old residence of the patriarchs of Aquileia was erected by Giovanni Fontana in 1517 in place of the older one destroyed by an earthquake in 1511. Under the Austrians it was used as a prison. In the cathedral archives was formerly preserved a recast of the Visigothic code of laws in a manuscript known as the Codex Utinensis, which was fortunately printed before it was lost. (See Breviary of Alaric).

In the 1550s Andrea Palladio erected some buildings in Udine.

The church of Santa Maria della Purità has 18th-century frescoes by Giambattista Tiepolo and his son Domenico.

The church dedicated to St. Mary of the Castle is probably the oldest in Udine, judging from extant fragments dating back to the Lombard era. It lost its parish 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: the façade, for example, 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.

In the principal square (Piazza della Libertà) stands the town hall (Loggia di Lionello) built in 1448-1457 in the Venetian-Gothic style opposite a clock tower (Torre dell’Orologio) resembling that of the Piazza San Marco at Venice.

It was begun in 1448 on a project by Nicolò Lionello, a local goldsmith, and was rebuilt following a 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 designed by Bernardino da Morcote. Other noteworthy monuments in the square are the Fountain 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.

The Cathedral of Udine is an imposing edifice built from 1236, on a Latin cross-shaped plan with three naves and chapels along the sides. The church was consecrated in 1335 as Santa Maria Maggiore. 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 Tiepolo, Amalteo, and Ludovico Dorigny. On the ground floor of the bell tower (built from 1441 over the ancient baptistry) is a chapel which is completely adorned with frescoes by Vitale da Bologna (1349).

The center of Udine is dominated by the Castle, built by the Venetians from 1517 over a ruined Lombard fortification. The castle houses one of the most ancient Parliament Halls of Europe.

Culture

Udine has a university, the Università degli studi di Udine. The archbishop's palace and the Museo Civico have quite important paintings. The city has a theater, the Teatro Giovanni da Udine.

Important festivals include the wine-and-food September festival, Friuli D.O.C., and the biggest European festival of popular East Asian cinema, the Far East Film Festival, in April.

The asteroid (33100) Udine was named in honor of the city.

Along with Italian, Friulian is usually spoken in Udine, as well as a variant of the Venetian (called venetin) that is however in decline.

Gallery

Old map

Piazza Libertà

Udine Towerdetail

Loggia del Lionello & Piazza by day

Economy

Udine is important for commerce, there are several commercial centers in the hinterland. There are also iron and mechanical industries.

Sport

The local football club is called Udinese Calcio, founded in 1896, and plays in the highest Italian league (Serie A).

See also

Giovanni Martini da Udine, a High Renaissance architect who worked in Rome and pupil of Raphael.

External links

• Udine homepage
• University of Udine
• ItalianVisits.com
• Udine in 3D
• The soccer song Fuarce Udin
• Udine International School

Friuli-Venezia Giulia · Comuni of the Province of Udine
	Aiello del Friuli · Amaro · Ampezzo · Aquileia · Arta Terme · Artegna · Attimis · Bagnaria Arsa · Basiliano · Bertiolo · Bicinicco · Bordano · Buja · Buttrio · Camino al Tagliamento · Campoformido · Campolongo al Torre · Carlino · Cassacco · Castions di Strada · Cavazzo Carnico · Cercivento · Cervignano del Friuli · Chiopris-Viscone · Chiusaforte · Cividale del Friuli · Codroipo · Colloredo di Monte Albano · Comeglians · Corno di Rosazzo · Coseano · Dignano · Dogna · Drenchia · Enemonzo · Faedis · Fagagna · Fiumicello · Flaibano · Forgaria nel Friuli · Forni Avoltri · Forni di Sopra · Forni di Sotto · Gemona del Friuli · Gonars · Grimacco · Latisana · Lauco · Lestizza · Lignano Sabbiadoro · Ligosullo · Lusevera · Magnano in Riviera · Majano · Malborghetto Valbruna · Manzano · Marano Lagunare · Martignacco · Mereto di Tomba · Moggio Udinese · Moimacco · Montenars · Mortegliano · Moruzzo · Muzzana del Turgnano · Nimis · Osoppo · Ovaro · Pagnacco · Palazzolo dello Stella · Palmanova · Paluzza · Pasian di Prato · Paularo · Pavia di Udine · Pocenia · Pontebba · Porpetto · Povoletto · Pozzuolo del Friuli · Pradamano · Prato Carnico · Precenicco · Premariacco · Preone · Prepotto · Pulfero · Ragogna · Ravascletto · Raveo · Reana del Rojale · Remanzacco · Resia · Resiutta · Rigolato · Rive d'Arcano · Rivignano · Ronchis · Ruda · San Daniele del Friuli · San Giorgio di Nogaro · San Giovanni al Natisone · San Leonardo · San Pietro al Natisone · San Vito al Torre · San Vito di Fagagna · Santa Maria la Longa · Sauris · Savogna di Cividale · Sedegliano · Socchieve · Stregna · Sutrio · Taipana · Talmassons · Tapogliano · Tarcento · Tarvisio · Tavagnacco · Teor · Terzo d'Aquileia · Tolmezzo · Torreano · Torviscosa · Trasaghis · Treppo Carnico · Treppo Grande · Tricesimo · Trivignano Udinese · Udine · Varmo · Venzone · Verzegnis · Villa Santina · Villa Vicentina · Visco · Zuglio

pms:Ùdin

Donate to Wikimedia