Associazione Città Italiane Patrimonio Mondiale UNESCO
Patriarchal Basilica of Aquileia
Associazione Città Italiane Patrimonio Unesco
Ritratto del Patriarca Poppone nella Basilica
Basilica: cattedra patriarcale e altare
Simbolo di San Luca, affresco absidale della Basilica
Basilica: Pala di Pellegrino da San Daniele
Basilica: Veduta della Cripta (XII sec.)
Cripta degli Scavi: mosaico teodoriano
Catino absidale della Cappella di San Pietro
Cappella del S. Rosario
Cripta degli Scavi
Cripta degli Scavi: mosaico teodoriano
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The town was initially a military garrison and was built on the banks of the River Natissa.
The town was first inhabited by about three thousand soldiers-settlers that in the space of a few years were joined by others.
In the meantime, Aquileia was becoming an important business and administrative centre. In 89 BC, the colony became a Municipium; and later, under the rule of the Emperor Augustus became capital of the "Venetia ed Histria” Region X (the tenth Roman Region).
Along with this increased stature, so grew the number of monuments and splendid public buildings in this ancient settlement that featured a river port. Foodstuffs arrived from far and wide, by land and by sea, along the vast transport network that Aquileia commanded. Recovered examples of these goods range from spices and bolts of cloth to slaves, amber and flint.
The local craftsmen were master goldsmiths and also worked with glass and terracotta. The city housed very talented artists that worked with marble and stone to create mosaics of incredible beauty.
Aquileia however suffered counterattacks by groups of barbarian infiltrators. When Diocletianus was named Emperor, Aquileia returned to its former splendour as one of the greatest cities in the Roman Empire. Diocletianus opened the mint and had the Governor of Region X (the tenth Roman Region) and the Commander of the High Adriatic fleet’s offices based in the city.
A strong Christian community grew and drew upon the apostles’ preaching. The conversion to Christianity of Istria and the Balkans, Hungary at its territories as far as the Danube had its roots here. The sheer size of the areas concerned made Aquileia one of the major Christian sites and its status was added to considerably when the bishop was bestowed with the title of Patriarch.
Such glory and wealth however only invited more attacks. Attila arrived in 452 and after a protracted siege, overcame the city defences and destroyed everything in front of him. The population fled to Grado and to the islands around the Laguna that were easier to defend in the event of attack and thus founded Venice.
In the 6th century with the Lombard invasion and the foundation of a new kingdom, Fruili became a dukedom and Aquileia lost some of its traditional political and administrative power over the Region. It remained a schismatic patriarchal seat (the disagreement with the Romans dated back to 557 and disapproval on behalf of the Provincial Council of some actions that happened during the Council of Constantinople, caused the so-called “Schism of the Three Chapters”) competing against the new bishopric at Grado.
The schism ended in 699 with Aquileia being reinstated with its title of Patriarchal authority over the land whereas the bishop of Grado awarded power over the islands.
Abandoned by the Patriarchs, Aquileia flourished once more thanks to Charlemagne who supported the return of Patriarch Massenzio. From the beginning of the 9th century and throughout the 10th and 11th centuries, Aquileia was once more restored to its original splendour.
The Basilica that was destroyed by Avari and Hungarian invasions was restored and re-consecrated by the Patriarch Poppone.
From 1077, the Emperor bestowed the power of feudal lord upon the Patriarch including the right to mint coin. This Patriarchal dominion lasted for some centuries but the ever-increasing power of the Republic of Venice was to put an end to Patriarchal rule in 1420.
From this time on, Aquileia slipped into a slow decline returning to its origins as a simple farming village.
In 1751, the diocese was finally abolished and the dismembered territories were assimilated into the Archbishopric of Udine that had authority over the lands of Venice and Gorizia and power over the Austrian territories.
Patriarchal Basilica of Aquileia
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History, art and culture
The town was initially a military garrison and was built on the banks of the River Natissa.
The town was first inhabited by about three thousand soldiers-settlers that in the space of a few years were joined by others.
In the meantime, Aquileia was becoming an important business and administrative centre. In 89 BC, the colony became a Municipium; and later, under the rule of the Emperor Augustus became capital of the "Venetia ed Histria” Region X (the tenth Roman Region).
Along with this increased stature, so grew the number of monuments and splendid public buildings in this ancient settlement that featured a river port. Foodstuffs arrived from far and wide, by land and by sea, along the vast transport network that Aquileia commanded. Recovered examples of these goods range from spices and bolts of cloth to slaves, amber and flint.
The local craftsmen were master goldsmiths and also worked with glass and terracotta. The city housed very talented artists that worked with marble and stone to create mosaics of incredible beauty.
Aquileia however suffered counterattacks by groups of barbarian infiltrators. When Diocletianus was named Emperor, Aquileia returned to its former splendour as one of the greatest cities in the Roman Empire. Diocletianus opened the mint and had the Governor of Region X (the tenth Roman Region) and the Commander of the High Adriatic fleet’s offices based in the city.
A strong Christian community grew and drew upon the apostles’ preaching. The conversion to Christianity of Istria and the Balkans, Hungary at its territories as far as the Danube had its roots here. The sheer size of the areas concerned made Aquileia one of the major Christian sites and its status was added to considerably when the bishop was bestowed with the title of Patriarch.
Such glory and wealth however only invited more attacks. Attila arrived in 452 and after a protracted siege, overcame the city defences and destroyed everything in front of him. The population fled to Grado and to the islands around the Laguna that were easier to defend in the event of attack and thus founded Venice.
In the 6th century with the Lombard invasion and the foundation of a new kingdom, Fruili became a dukedom and Aquileia lost some of its traditional political and administrative power over the Region. It remained a schismatic patriarchal seat (the disagreement with the Romans dated back to 557 and disapproval on behalf of the Provincial Council of some actions that happened during the Council of Constantinople, caused the so-called “Schism of the Three Chapters”) competing against the new bishopric at Grado.
The schism ended in 699 with Aquileia being reinstated with its title of Patriarchal authority over the land whereas the bishop of Grado awarded power over the islands.
Abandoned by the Patriarchs, Aquileia flourished once more thanks to Charlemagne who supported the return of Patriarch Massenzio. From the beginning of the 9th century and throughout the 10th and 11th centuries, Aquileia was once more restored to its original splendour.
The Basilica that was destroyed by Avari and Hungarian invasions was restored and re-consecrated by the Patriarch Poppone.
From 1077, the Emperor bestowed the power of feudal lord upon the Patriarch including the right to mint coin. This Patriarchal dominion lasted for some centuries but the ever-increasing power of the Republic of Venice was to put an end to Patriarchal rule in 1420.
From this time on, Aquileia slipped into a slow decline returning to its origins as a simple farming village.
In 1751, the diocese was finally abolished and the dismembered territories were assimilated into the Archbishopric of Udine that had authority over the lands of Venice and Gorizia and power over the Austrian territories.