PORDENONE AND ITS ENVIRONS

San Vito al Tagliamento
The centre of San Vito al Tagliamento is from the medieval period. The city walls with their three towers (Scaramuccia in the east, Grimana in the south and Raimonda in the west) are well preserved. The west tower also houses the Civic Museum. Facing each other on the spacious Piazza del Popolo (People's square) there are some particularly interesting buildings. The cathedral of SS Vito, Modesto and Crescenzia (inside there are works of art of Bellunello, Amalteo and Padovanino) was rebuilt in 1745, while the bell-tower, designed by Giovanni da Pordenone, dates back to the second half of the 16th century. Nearby stands the small church of St. Maria dei Battuti with the portal by Pilacorte and with a remarkable cycle of frescoes by Amalteo. San Vito also boasts a sanctuary of the Madonna di Rosa and the church of St. Maria delle Grazie designed by Prodolone with especially interesting frescoes by Bellunello and Amalteo.

Sesto al Reghena
The St. Maria in Sylvis abbey was constructed in 762 by two Benedectine monks who where the sons of Pietro, the Duke of Friuli. Over a period of time the abbey was enlarged and enjoyed maximum splendour between the 11th and 15th centuries. The monks of Sesto benefited from considerable ecclesiastical and civil jurisdiction, especially in the western regions of Friuli. What remains of the old abbey today are the gate tower, the only one still standing of the original seven towers which fortified the castle; the abbey basilica, whose tower was once a lookout tower; the abbot's palace (now the Town Hall); the abbey chancery (now a nursery school) and the presbytery. The Lombard-Byzantine basilica is generally considered to be the best example of an artistic monument to be found in western Friuli.

It was constructed around the year 1000 on the site of the previous basilica which had been de stroyed by the Hungarians. At the front of it there is a long vestibule entirely covered in frescoes dating back to the 15th century. Inside the actual church there are some beautiful works of art, in particular the frescoes inspired by Giotto and those depicting the Incoronazione della Vergine (Coronation of the Virgin Mary), the Albero della Croce (Tree of the Cross), the scene of the Tre vivi e tre morti (Three living and Three dead). In the crypt one can admire the famous urn of St. Anastasia (7th or 8th century) and a Pieta or Vesperbild of Nordic origin. One should not miss Cordovado, situated near Sesto al Reghena, where one can see the ruins of a castle built by the bishops of Concordia around 1000 AD and the octagonal sanctuary of the Beata Vergine delle Grazie (16th century).

Maniago
Maniago, an important cutlery manufacturing centre, was first cited in a document in 981. Of special note is St. Mauro cathedral whose construction started in 1488 probably on the site of another church. Here among the works of art one can see paintings by Pomponio Amalteo and two wooden altars from the 17th century. Piazza Italia, with the fountain in the centre, is an impressive square. Immediately above Maniago stretches the Val Colvera (Colvera valley). Here in Frisanco and Poffabro many of the stone houses on two or three storeys, have lovely carved out "graticcio" effect balconies.

Valvasone e Zoppola
The Medieval and Renaissance buildings in the old city centre of Valvasone are of considerable interest. There is an imposing castle dating back to the 12th century which has been re structured several times. The parish church of St. Corpo di Cristo (Body of Christ) has the oldest church organ in Friuli (1532), encased in a chest with paintings by Pordenone and Amalteo on it. A few kilometres from Valvasone rises the Medieval Castle of Zoppola.