Udine - An Italian city empty of tourists

	The tallest chair in the world on view in Udine

Udine is a city of approximately 100,000 situated at the crossroads between Austria and Slovenia, The Julian Alps and the Adriatic Sea, Venice and Trieste. This regional capital of Friuli-Venezia Giulia is one of the richest in Italy. At the same time this is a city almost empty of tourists but with great Italian soul.

This is the place to unwind, to have a more authentic Italian experience, far away from the tourist attractions and ice-cream shops so common in other Italian cities. Here is it possible to sit in a cafe and relax over a cup of coffee and a Trattorio.

The relatively unrecognized by tourists, Udine is blessed with much history and the fine art museums found in every dignified Italian city.

The city is built around the 16th century Castle Hill and the Piazza della Liberta. It has been said that the hill was made from soil carried there by the soldiers of Attila the Hun, who ordered its construction in order to enhance his view of Aquileia burning in the distance. On the hill there is a ancient church and a castle.

The Jewish history of Udine dates back as far as 1299. AFter Udine became a Venetian city in 1420, the Jews experienced harder times. Though the municipality voted several times to expel the Jews or to move them into ghettoes, the laws were never enforced. In 1424 the city's Jews were forced to wear a yellow badge on their clothing and only Jews that were protected by a special license, the condotta, were allowed to live in the city. Other Jews were only permitted to visit the city for a three-day period.

The Jews were blamed for bringing the Black Plague to the city and were finally expelled in 1556. For the next two centuries there was only sporadic, temporary Jewish settlement in Udine. It was not until the fall of the Venetian republic and the arrival of Napoleon's troops did Jews return to Udine.

By 1840, Udine had an established Jewish community, with a "small temple of German rite capable of seating 60 persons and with a woman's gallery upstairs". The community remained small, never exceeding more than 112 persons. Due to Nazi deportation efforts in the region, the community eventually shrunk to only 37 persons. Today, the few remaining Jews are part of the Trieste community.

Realted links:
Udine and its environs
The city of Udine (by Udine University)
Udine, the city of Tiepolo
Museums and accomodation in Udine

Trieste | Udine | Gorizia | Cividale | Aquileia | Grado | Palmanova