-- english version under construction --
The
small and quiet but well known village of Aquileia lies in the plain of
Friuli not far from the lagoon of Grado. It is surrounded by the greenery
of the countryside which is reflected in the clear waters of the river
Natissa. On its western bank, in 2nd century AD, the Romans built the
town-fortress that became one of the most famous towns of the Empire, not
only for its military, prowess and its economic wealth, but also for its
cultural and spiritual magnificence
The
archaeological remains easily found every where, bear witness of its
illustrious past. The Roman forum was the lively centre of city life with
its offices, temples, shops, porches and monuments.
In the heart of the town the medieval BASILICA, with its severe Romanesque - Gothic lines, rises stately and solemnly. It is dwarfed by the imposing steeple which looks like the sentinel of a precious casket, in which the oldest and most illustrious memoirs of the Christian religion are preserved.