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Photo: Sebi1, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Historic village
Valvasone Arzene
Italian comune
At a glance
- Type
- Historic village
- Elevation
- 59 m above sea level
- Area
- 29,680,000 m²
- Coordinates
- 46°00′08″ N, 12°50′52″ E
History and description
Valvasone Arzene (Friulian: Voleson Darzin) is a comune (municipality) in the Regional decentralization entity of Pordenone in the Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located about 80 kilometres (50 mi) northwest of Trieste and about 15 kilometres (9 mi) east of Pordenone. It was formed on 1 January 2015 after the merger of the previous comuni of Valvasone and Arzene.
It is one of I Borghi più belli d'Italia ("The most beautiful villages of Italy").
History
The early history of the castle of Valvasone tells how in 1218 CE the original manor-house was kept by Ulvino and Bonfante for the Patriarch of Aquileia. These were the founders of the first feudal family, but in 1268 this family was killed during the rebellion of Corrado from Valvasone. The side of the Tagliamento River, which flows near the town, was too strategically important to leave it without any form of control, so the Patriarch assigned Walterpertoldo from Spilimbergo to control the area. In 1273 he did a great restoration to the buildings near the river, in order to effect the best form of control against invasion. These works, however, did not modify the structure of the town, that has the castle in its centre and the other buildings are situated around it. When Walterpertoldo died, and the first generation of the Spilimbergo ended, a contest for the succession in controlling Valvasone began between two really important families in the area: the Zuccola and the Cucagna. In 1292 the Patriarch Raimondo della Torre gave to Simone di Cucagna the power to control Valvasone and its surroundings, beginning the second genealogy of feudal overlords of Valvasone.
In that period Valvasone had a militar structure, but it was also the residence of those nobles who built the real village, the precursor of the modern town. Before 1300 the nobles decided to build up a surrounding stone wall; this was possible because they parcelled out the urban pieces of land and then gave these pieces to the craftsmen and shopkeepers. In front of the drawbridge the public loggia was built. Meanwhile, a well was dug by the Torre delle Ore. Now these interventions are difficult to find because of more recent constructions. In the 1350s the nobles decided to enlarge the village: in this way they create one of the most beautiful examples of medieval town-planning in west Friuli. In the north area they built a small church, devoted to San Giacomo and outside of the walls a small village was created, with its own church, dedicated to S. Giovanni and S. Maria. …
Monuments and places of interest
Old Parish Church of the Madonna del Rosario, 1200–1300. The church houses the painting of the "chained she-devil." The fresco has been considered by historians to be of considerable importance in the history of the plague of 1348 that afflicted all of Europe.
Ancient Roman necropolis in Pras di Sora (discovered in 1996). Traces and artifacts from Roman antiquity have also emerged in Majaroff.
Demographic evolution
As of 31 December 2024 foreigners residents in the municipality were 464, i.e. 11.6% of the population.
The largest foreign community comes from Romania, with 44.4% of all foreigners present in the country, followed by Albania and Ukraine.
Text from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Full article: «Valvasone Arzene».
Photos
Getting there
CasarsaTrain, nearest
5.5 km as the crow flies
Valvasone Arzene
Aviano Air Base - Area F19.6 km
Distances are as the crow flies, not walking or driving.
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Nearby
See on the mapMore historic villages in Friuli Venezia Giulia
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- Most beautiful villages
- Most beautiful villages
- Most beautiful villages
Frequently asked questions
Where is Valvasone Arzene?
Valvasone Arzene is in Valvasone Arzene, in the province of Pordenone (Friuli Venezia Giulia), Italy. GPS coordinates: 46.00220, 12.84770.
What else is there to see near Valvasone Arzene?
Nearby you’ll find: Villa Cigolotti (10.6 km away), Villa Savorgnan Minciotti (11 km away), Castle of Torrate (13.2 km away).
Sources and licences
Text. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Data. Wikidata (CC0); opening hours and contacts OpenStreetMap (ODbL).
Photos. Wikimedia Commons, author and licence on every image.
Credits for the 2 photos
- Valvasone-PiazzaLibertà-Municipio — Sebi1, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Valvasone veduta 04 — Sirleonidas, CC BY-SA 4.0
Updated 28 October 2026. All sources and licences