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Pordenone, city of art and cultural exchanges

Pordenone is a city and province in the region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia in Italy’s northeast. The ancient city has a strong relationship with its past, witnessed by the buildings, the frescos, the monuments of the city’s historical center, all while evolving into a modern fast-paced city.

The history of Pordenone is linked to Noncello, a waterway that for centuries has been determined the economic development of the city and helping make the city a center of innovation, and economic and cultural exchange. The city’s dynamism and creativity are evident in the architecture, art, music and literature of the city,as evidenced by its international events such as “Pordenonelegge”, “Giornate del Cinema Muto” or “Dedica Festival” which have made Pordenone a rich cultural center. But Pordenone is also a beautiful historic center that can be traveled on foot to discover the elegance of the painted buildings and arcades which reveal the history of the city. Pordenone is also the city that gave birth to Giovanni Antonio de Sacchis (1484-1539), nicknamed Pordenone, who is the greatest Friulian Renaissance painter, his works are kept in the Cathedral of San Marco and in the Museo Civico d’Arte Palazzo Ricchieri.

Sacile: a town with Venetian Flare

After visiting the center of Pordenone, visitors should head towards the town of Sacile known for its Venetian atmosphere. Here, architectural styles harmoniously coexist: the elegant buildings, often in the lagoon style, are reflected in the blue waters of the Livenza river that crosses, with dozens of canals, the center of the town giving it a decidedly Venetian allure. Do not miss the Cathedral of San Nicolò, patron saint of the city and saint of river navigation, the Church of the Madonna della Pietà, Piazza del Popolo, which have beautiful arcaded buildings and the superb Palazzo Ragazzoni, an elegant sixteenth-century mansion.

The Craftsmanship of the Territory

Italy is famous throughout the world for its high quality of craftsmanship, near Pordenone we find two examples of the famous craftsmanship in Maniago and Spilamberto.

Maniago is known for its knives, a craftsmanship of great level and skill. Here you will find the Museum of the Fabbrile Art and Cutlery which traces the history of the artisan spirit of the region.

Not far away we find Spilimbergo, which for its fourteenth-century Cathedral, one of the most important Gothic buildings in Friuli, with precious frescoes and a sixteenth-century organ with doors painted by Pordenone. Spilimbergo is known throughout the world as a “city of mosaics”: it is the capital of the mosaic art of Friuli Venezia Giulia, with a mosaic school that is unique in the world. The Mosaic School of Friuli, is a prestigious school renowned for being avant-garde both in its techniques and the materials used.

Some Delicacies of the Territory

The soils of these areas are of made up of very lean and rocky soil and are poor in nutrients and very dry. However, this stony ground has a natural ability to accumulate heat during the day and then release it during the night, which makes the area perfect for wine cultivation. The wines here are characterized as fresh, fruity, and elegant for the white varieties, and full-bodied and aromatic for the red varieties.

Other local delicacies include; Pitina (also called petuccia, petina, peta) which is a smoked meatball as well as Asìno cheese which a white-paste cheese made with cow’s milk salted in wooden vats to enrich its flavour.