Venzone

The disastrous earthquake of 1976 practically destroyed the medieval town of Venzone, bringing down walls, churches, palaces and houses. Just over twenty years later, however, Venzone has largely recovered its face, thanks to the restoration of its essential urban fabric and the rebuilding of its most characteristic buildings. The imposing Cathedral is also about to be rebuilt, using anastylosis; it was built in local stone in the early fourteenth century on the site of a pre-existing church enlarged by the feudal lord Glizoio in 1251. As a sculptor certainly, but perhaps also as an architect, that master Giovanni had worked there too, the same man who a few years earlier had designed the cathedral of Gemona.

Consecrated by the patriarch Bertrando in 1338, it had a Latin-cross plan with a wide transept and a single nave ending in three apses with groin vaults, lit by tall, narrow, elegant windows. The exterior was articulated with polygonal apses reinforced at the corners by buttresses topped with pyramidal pinnacles and statues: solutions that suggested the collaboration of northern craftsmen. The three portals were interesting, among them the northern one, valuable also from an architectural point of view, set in a slightly projecting gabled forepart on the side of the church and enriched by a rigorous sculptural decoration dating to 1308, by the hand of master Giovanni, an artist still tied to the Romanesque tradition (a preference for the frontal view, rigour of forms, dry drapery), a feature clearly visible in the lunette with Christ Blessing.

The same master was credited with the southern portal, with the Coronation of the Virgin in low relief, while the Crucifixion of the main portal, second half of the thirteenth century, was by another hand and another culture, evoking in its spiritual insight and plastic treatment distant Antelami memories.

Pumpkin Festival

From Sunday 28 October 2007 to Sunday 28 October 2007 Held in Venzone (Udine - Italy) In the enchanting magic of the historic centre lit by torches and flares and peopled by nobles, innkeepers and taverners, shopkeepers, merchants and commoners of the fourteenth century.