Borgo medievale murato di Venzone

Venzone preserves a fortified medieval plan enclosed by a double thirteenth-century wall circuit, reconstructed after the 1976 earthquake using the principle 'where it was and as it was.'

Why it matters

The town's medieval fabric and walls are protected as a national monument. The earthquake of 6 May 1976 destroyed much of the centre and killed 47 people in Venzone. Residents petitioned for reconstruction in its historic form; the town hall was rebuilt by 1984, much of the centre by 1988 and the cathedral by 1995. The reconstruction preserved the urban plan and made the traces of the disaster part of the town's history.

What to notice

The double wall circuit and medieval street pattern frame civic buildings such as the Gothic town hall, Palazzo degli Scaligeri and Palazzo Radiussi. The cathedral and circular chapel of San Michele form the religious centre. Different workmanship in replacement stones makes the restoration history visible, especially in the rebuilt eastern gate tower of Porta San Genesio.

Context and history

The site developed along a northward passage used in antiquity; Roman remains have been found beneath the cathedral. The town entered the Patriarchate of Aquileia in 1077 and became a commune in 1247. In 1258 Glizoio di Mels built a double wall circuit with a moat. Venzone later passed through Venetian, Napoleonic and Italian rule. After the 1976 earthquake, a citizens' committee and recovery plan guided reconstruction using original materials and preserving evidence of the seismic event.