Living
Castelmonte the type of hidden Italian gem most tourists would miss -- but you shouldn't
Stars and Stripes
September 22, 2015
The Sanctuary of Castelmonte, the Blessed Virgin Mary, is a beautiful 12th century structure that is believed to have once been a Roman outpost. Castelmonte is about 16 miles from Udine, Italy. (Jason Duhr/Stars and Stripes)
The Sanctuary of Castelmonte, the Blessed Virgin Mary, is a beautiful 12th century structure that is believed to have once been a Roman outpost. Castelmonte is about 16 miles from Udine, Italy. (Jason Duhr/Stars and Stripes)
Vegetation covers a wall and tower leading to an entrance to the Sanctuary of Castelmonte, the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is located about 16 miles from Udine, Italy. (Jason Duhr/Stars and Stripes)
A small passageway curves through the Sanctuary of Castelmonte, a small hamlet near Udine, Italy, which boasts a church, crypt, restaurant and stores. (Jason Duhr/Stars and Stripes)
Casa del Pellegrino, a hotel, and Al Piazzale, a restaurant, are both located in the Sanctuary of Castelmonte, a small hamlet near Udine, Italy, which takes part in a yearly pilgrimage every September 8th. (Jason Duhr/Stars and Stripes)
The Sanctuary of Castelmonte is a beautiful 12th-century structure situated in the Julian Alps on the outskirts of Udine, Italy. (Jason Duhr/Stars and Stripes)
A bell tower in the middle of the Sanctuary of Castelmonte near Cividale, Italy, can be heard ringing atop a peak in the Julian Alps, near the Slovene border. (Jason Duhr/Stars and Stripes)
Stairs wind through parts of the 12th-century structure known as the Sanctuary of Castelmonte, which is about 16 miles from Udine, Italy. (Jason Duhr/Stars and Stripes)
The reflection of a stained glass window appears in a holy water basin as a friar makes his way into the church at the Sanctuary of Castelmonte, which is situated near Udine, Italy. (Jason Duhr/Stars and Stripes)
The centerpiece of the Sanctuary of Castelmonte is a 15th century painted stone sculpture of Mary holding a child, which is said to be the heart of the small hamlet near the town of Cividale, Italy. (Jason Duhr/Stars and Stripes)
A steep, heavily-wooded trail leads to Attimis Superior and Attimis Lower, the remnants of two small castles in Attimis, Italy. (Jason Duhr/Stars and Stripes)
The rubble from the Attimis Lower castle is partially obscured by vegetation. (Jason Duhr/Stars and Stripes)
A partial wall of the Attimis Lower castle can be seen from the foothills below or from the trails leading to it from Attimis, Italy. (Jason Duhr/Stars and Stripes)
A sign on the hiking trail near Attimis, Italy, directs you to three castles: Attimis Superior, Attimis Lower and Partistagno. (Jason Duhr/Stars and Stripes)
Few walls from the Attimis Superior castle remain standing, but the peace and quiet provided by the forest make for a serene place to take a break from hiking in Attimis, Italy. (Jason Duhr/Stars and Stripes)
The Attimis Superior castle is in much better shape than Attimis Lower. Remnants of both castles can be found along a trail near Attimis, Italy. (Jason Duhr/Stars and Stripes)
What appears to be an old stone table sits in an inner courtyard of Attimis Superior, a small castle located in the hills above Attimis, Italy. (Jason Duhr/Stars and Stripes)
The inner courtyard of Attimis Superior is still full of life, with trees spread throughout the castle's grounds near Atttimis, Italy. (Jason Duhr/Stars and Stripes)
The Castle of Partistagno dates from the 11th century and is located above the town of Borgo Faris, a five-minute drive from Attimis, Italy. During a visit in September 2015, the castle grounds were closed for renovations. (Jason Duhr/Stars and Stripes)
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Hidden in the shadow of larger Italian cities like Venice and Verona are many others waiting to be rediscovered.
The Sanctuary of Castelmonte, a small hamlet near the Slovene border, is one such place. History and beauty rest here at the top of a mountain peak, unnoticed by many foreigners.
Within the province of Udine, a few lesser-known towns with heritage sites might pique your interest and add to the experience of living in Italy. The sanctuary was the last and most impressive of four stops I made during a day trip to the province.
The 12th-century structure, which is thought to have been a Roman outpost before becoming a sanctuary, survived wildfires in the 15th century, was stripped of its valuables in the 18th century, and survived nearly unscathed after a barrage of German artillery during World War II.
Castelmonte is a small community in itself, nestled in the Julian Alps near the town of Cividale, which is said to have been built by Julius Caesar.
The ancient castlelike structure is the oldest sanctuary in northern Italy. It houses a 15th-century painted stone sculpture of Mary holding a child.
Friars can be seen walking the halls, kneeling as they enter the chapel and lighting candles near the church’s altars. The main and side altars were created by Venetian masters and date back to 1684. The crypt below spans the length of the church and is dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel.
There are several other sights worth seeing nearby.
A visit to Attimis, about a 15-mile trip from the sanctuary through Cividale, will lead you to a group of hiking trails that in turn will take you to one intact castle and the remnants of two others.
The sight of each of these pales in comparison to Castelmonte, but if you love hiking, the trip through the forest is certainly worth it.
The hike takes you on a few well-marked paths that all lead you to the three castles: Attimis Superior, Attimis Lower and Partistagno.
I was a little disappointed by Attimis Lower. All that remained was rubble consumed by vegetation and a partially erected tower.
Venturing farther down the path led me to Attimis Superior, which offers a little more to see and is a great place for a quiet rest.
After hiking a little more than an hour, I saw the walls of the Castle of Partistagno, which is located above the town of Borgo Faris. The 11th-century castle is in better condition than the Attimis castles. But when I visited, grounds were temporarily closed for restoration work.
This isn’t a hike for a beginner or someone out of shape. Be sure to bring your hiking shoes, a hiking stick and enough food and water.
This trail surrounds the nearby towns of Attimis, Faedis and Borgo Faris. Two more castles can be seen in Faedis, which is less than a 10-minute drive from Attimis.
An early day hike near Attimis and an impressive sight at the Sanctuary of Castelmonte made for a complete day of sightseeing in parts of Italy you rarely hear about.
DIRECTIONS: Take SP7 from Aviano Air Base to Roveredo in Piano, continuing on SP31 through San Quirino as the road changes to SP53 leading up to and through Vivaro and San Marco. There it changes to SP73 heading toward Spilimbergo. Continue through Spilimbergo on SR464 until you reach Udine, where you follow signs for Cividale then Castelmonte on SS54. Sanctuary of Castelmonte. Address: Santuario Beata Vergine di Castelmonte - 33040 Castelmonte
TIMES: The sanctuary is open daily from 7:30 a.m. to noon and 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.
COSTS: Entrance to the sanctuary and trails is free.
FOOD: There is one restaurant located on the sanctuary’s grounds. Bring a brown-bag lunch if you plan to hike around Attimis.
INFORMATION: Sanctuary of Castelmonte: Call (+39) 0432-731094 or visit www.santuariocastelmonte.it/ (Italian only) Casa del Pellegrino (hotel) and Al Piazzale (restaurant): (+39) 0432-731161 or visit www.lacasadelpellegrino.org/# (Italian only). There are more than 200 parking spots outside of Castelmonte.