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Municipality of Aquileia - Comune di Aquileia

 

Recent archaeological discoveries have found a large proto-historic settlement (ninth century BC) on the edge of what was to be a major river that the Romans in the second century BC regimented and made navigable, creating one of the most important ports of the time.

With the founding of the Roman colony in 181 BC, all previous realities were cleared to make way for the great resettlement work of lands, roads and river transport making possible both the fortification of the new Aquileia and the planning and centuriation of Aquileia's lands.  In particular the great Roman harbour was built, 48 meters wide and more than 400 long, making Aquileia thriving and prosperous, at the same level of Milan, Capua and Pompei. Aquileia became the capital of the Xth region of the Roman Empire: the Venetia et Histria. All communication roads out of Aquileia (Via Annia, via Postumia, via Gemina) were defended by adequate towers and gates.

The period of greatest splendour for Aquileia was the fourth century, marked by the construction of the great Christian church of Theodore.

Aquileia as a military, commercial and religious centre, had become one of the main towns of the Roman Empire, after Rome, Antioch, Alexandria, Milan, Pompei. Its  century-old importance came to an end with the invasion of the Huns in 452

The rebirth of Aquileia became a reality with patriarch Popone: he restored the defensive walls, the streets, the churches, the river port, etc. Aquileia became the noble centre of the whole Friulian territory. In 1077 Henry IV granted patriarch Sigeardo with the feudal investiture over the entire Friulian territory: this was the birth of the patriarchal state as part of the imperial political and military system.

With the end of the Patriarchal state (1421), Aquileia remained Austrian imperial territory. In particular, remained Austrian until the end of WWI.

Today the city is small (about 3.500 inhabitants) and is one of the main archaeological sites of Northern Italy. Most of ancient Roman city still lies unexcavated beneath the fields. The Patriarchal Basilica, an outstanding building with an exceptional mosaic pavement (750 m²) and the Archaeological Area are declared as UNESCO World Heritage site from 1989.

 

 

Municipality of Aquileia – Comune di Aquileia: http://www.comune.aquileia.ud.it/

Aquileia National Archaeological

 

Museum:http://www.museoarcheologicoaquileia.beniculturali.it/index.php?en/1/home

 

Patriarchal Basilica: http://www.basilicadiaquileia.it/

 

Fondazione Aquileia: http://www.fondazioneaquileia.it/

 

Description of Archaeological Area and the Patriarchal Basilica of Aquileia - UNESCO

 

World Heritage site: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/825

 

Tourist information: http://www.turismofvg.it/Localita/Aquileia

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