A coat of arms adorns a fortification near the entrance to Venzone, Italy. The walled medieval town in the northeastern part of the country is a UNESCO World Heritage site. (Brian Erickson/Stars and Stripes)
The medieval walled village of Venzone lies in northeastern Italy where the southern tips of the Alps are met by the Tagliamento River, in an area known as the Canal Del Ferro.
Among other things, it’s a pleasant place to walk around without the noise that accompanies more touristy areas, which are, of course, plentiful in Italy.
Strolling through the village, I noticed that some parts of the city walls were more worn than others, but the archway still stood strong. It got me thinking about how many tests these fortifications had been subjected to over the centuries.
Visitors to Venzone will likely enjoy its mix of historical pieces interspersed with modern restaurants and cafes in the town square, which surrounds a fountain built in the late 19th century.
It surprised me that there were no coins in the fountain, as we often see in America. Perhaps it’s a sign of respect for the detailed carving and craftsmanship involved.
The Chapel of San Michele in Venzone, Italy. It was built in 1200 and now houses five mummies, which are available for public viewing at a cost of 2 euros. (Brian Erickson/Stars and Stripes)
The 13th-century Cathedral of St. Andrew the Apostle features an organ that dates back to 1792. Next to the duomo sits the Chapel of San Michele, where five of the roughly 40 mummified bodies that have been found in the city over the course of centuries are displayed in the crypt.
The oldest mummy is the Hunchback, which was discovered in 1647 in a 14th century tomb located below the Chapel of the Rosary. The other mummies date back to the 18th and 19th centuries.
Just off the city center, visitors can see the remains of St. John the Baptist Church, a stark reminder of the devastating earthquake on May 6, 1976, that rocked the Friuli region and brought down most of the historic buildings in town.
Registering a magnitude of 6.5, the temblor was centered just a few miles from Venzone. It killed almost 1,000 people and created a swath of destruction in Italy and neighboring Slovenia, which at that time was part of Yugoslavia.
The 14th-century defense tower at the Porta San Genesio in Venzone, Italy, as seen Dec. 4, 2023. The gate is the only one in Venzone to survive the 1976 earthquake, which leveled much of the town. (Brian Erickson/Stars and Stripes)
The quake is so important in Venzone’s history that there is a museum, known in Italian as the Museo Tiere Motus, documenting the event and the reconstruction.
Thanks to its medieval charm and cultural significance, Venzone is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Places of interest nearby include Tolmezzo, Gemona del Friuli, Pontebba and Poffabro.
One of the major annual events in the city is the Pumpkin Festival, held on the fourth weekend of October. The event includes two days of medieval arts and crafts, street performances by musicians, jugglers and storytellers, and plenty of pumpkin dishes.
Venzone is approximately an hour drive northeast of Aviano Air Base.
On the QT
Address: Tourism office, Via Glizoio di Mels, 5/4, Venzone, Italy
Times: Tourism office, Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and 3-6 p.m., closed Monday. For the Earthquake Museum, 2-6 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturday, Sunday and holidays. In June, July and August, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily
Prices: Admission to the Earthquake Museum costs 8 euros. Viewing the Mummies of Venzone exhibit costs 2 euros.
Information: Phone: +39 0432 985034, Online: venzoneturismo.it
