February 26, 2011

  • Cividale del Friuli

    Today I returned to Cividale del Friuli, a gorgeous little Lombard town about 19km from Udine. It was actually the first place I visited from Udine, back on October 3rd. That time I was taken by my new Italian friends, and we had a lovely walk around but didn't visit anything inside. This time I wanted to spend some more time doing the sights and museums, and again took advantage of the splendid sunny day (last time it was a bit dull)

    This is the Natisone river. Breathtakingly picturesque. You stand on the so called Devil's Bridge and look across at this... it's incredibly beautiful.  Just look at that sky! Have I ever mentioned that I love blue sky?! hehe. 

    Had a lovely time wandering through the little old streets. Of course it reminded me a lot of the first trip there, which was less than 3 weeks after I first arrived in Friuli. It's amazing to think how much time has passed and how much better I know those friends (at the time I barely knew them at all really!). 

    Apart from wandering and enjoying the weather, I also got a combined ticket to the Archaelogical Museum, the Cathedral Museum and the Lombard Temple/Monastery complex. The former two both had things of interest, but the Lombard temple was the most interesting.  
    I also went down in some odd Celtic cave thing. You had to ask for the key from the bar next door, and let yourself in and go exploring. I couldn't get the light to work so I had to get the guy to come and help me! Good fun though... little bit spooky down there. There was this bit of rock which really looked like a scary face - not sure whether it actually IS a scary face or not, but I didn't spend long down there on my own I can tell you!! 

    The Lombard Temple - Il tempietto longobardo

    l'Ipogeo Celtico - scary face/rock formation on wall! 

     

    ETA: Just re-reading my Rough Guide to Italy, I found this said about the above faces - so it wasn't just me who was unsettled!! "The hypogeum was probably used as a tomb for Celtic leaders between the fifth and second centuries BC, but there is still some dispute as to whether it's artificial or was merely adapted by its users. Either way, the spectral faces carved on the walls make it a most unsettling place."

    Anyway, two trips in the space of 4 days! Now the weather's looking up, it just makes me want to go to as many places as possible! 
    Cividale is very much Friulan - here's the extend of my Friulano for you! It's the Friuliano word for 'ciao'. Though spelt with an 'a', it sounds to my ear like the first part of Monday!