WHAT SHOULD YOU CERTAINLY VISIT IN AQUILEIA?

 

ONCE A VERY IMPORTANT ROMAN CITY

 

It's hard to imagine now, but sometime during the heydays of the Roman Empire, this small village was the fourth most important Roman city in Italy and the ninth in the whole Empire!

 

THE AMBER CITY

 

It is hard to believe that in this nowadays small village once lived 100.000 people coming from different countries around the Adriatic Sea. Such as Africa, Egypt and Greece. Aquileia had at a very important river port where several goods were traded (think of olive oil, wine, fruit, glas and amber). Aquileia was connected with its river to Grado and all these goods eventually found their way to the coastal areas of the Mediterranean Sea. 

 

MILITARY STRONGHOLD

 

Yet Aquileia was not always a busy trading town. It was founded in 181 b.C by the Romans as a military bulwark against the invasions of the barbarians of Northern and Eastern Europe. But also as a settlement for the Roman legions on their way to conquer Northern and Eastern Europe. Especially in wintertime, the Romans came to retreat here and we know that different Emperors like Julius Caesar and Augustus stayed here.

 

BEAUTIFUL BASILICA WITH 750 M2 OF MOSAIC FLOOR

In Aquileia you can see many excavations of Roman structures such as the Forum, the river port with its warehouses and docks, the cemetery, the remains of mosaic floors of houses and above all the fantastic and beautiful 11th century Basilica.  This Basilica was built on top of the foundations of the first Patriarchal Christian Church in North Italy, going back to 320 A.D! Its mosaic floor of 750 m2 is the biggest antique mosaic floor of Europe. 

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THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM

 

Aquileia has a very interesting Archaeological Museum, which is among the most important ones in Italy. The National Archaeological Museum has a rich collection of stone images, mosaic floors, utensils, urns, blown glassware, coins and jewellery that were found during excavation in and around Aquileia.

 

UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE LIST

 

The important role in Christianity of the patriarchal church along with all the beautiful things found and excavated have ensured that Aquileia was given a place on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

 

A visit to Friuli Venezia Giulia is not complete without a visit to Aquileia! Do not hesitate to contact me if you would like to be guided through all this beauty. I can tell you much more!