Udine is a city in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, and historically it was the capital of Friuli. The city is known from the year 983, but it was not until after 1223, when Udine got a market, that the city developed into a regional center. In 1420, Udine became subject to Venice and was part of the Venetian Republic until its dissolution in 1797. Udine was the second largest city of the Republic, and after the Napoleonic era, the city became part of the Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia, before the area formed a part of the Kingdom of Italy from 1866.

The old town of Udine is a pleasant neighborhood and great for a walk. You will find charming streets, beautiful squares and several sights, and you can start the tour at Piazza della Libertà square. Here you can see Udine’s town hall, Loggia del Lionello, which was built in the years 1448-1457 in Venetian Gothic style. Opposite the town hall stands the contemporary bell tower, which was built with Venice’s equivalent tower as inspiration. In the square you can also notice a column with the Venetian lion standing on top.

The squares Piazza Giacomo Matteotti and Piazza del Duomo are in the center as well, and Udine’s cathedral is located at Piazza del Duomo. The cathedral was built from 1236, and it was consecrated in 1335. The impressive baroque interior was created by a rebuild at the beginning of the 18th century, and you can have a look at several works of art by, among others Giovanni Battista Tiepolo and Pomponio Amalteo. At the cathedral there is also a cathedral museum with religious art. Next to the cathedral you can see the Oratorio della Purità building, which was built by the Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio in the 1550s.

In the middle of the city is Udine’s old castle, Castello di Udine. In front of the residence of the castle is the square Piazza del Castello, and from here there is a fine view over large parts of Udine and to the Alps to the north. The current main building was constructed in the 16th century and is today open as the city’s art and history museum.

Close to this is the Palazzo Arcivescovile, which was built in 1517 as the residence of the archbishops of Udine. Over the centuries, Udine has been the seat of archbishops, and you can visit their residence, Palazzo Arcivescovile, which was completed in its current version in the 18th century. Since 1995, the palace has been the seat of the Diocesan Museum and Tiepolo Gallery, which in addition to a rich collection of religious art also includes the palace’s halls with the famous frescoes by Tiepolo. The archbishop’s residence also houses the Biblioteca Delfiniana, which opened in 1709 as the first public library in Udine.