Pordenone in Charming Friuli - Best Quality of Life City 2020
I love those hidden corners of Italy where you don't meet other tourists, which sounds very selfish, I know. Pordenone in the north east of Italy is one of those corners and last November it was voted by Italians as the first city in Italy for quality of life. Numero uno, not bad, eh?! Historical, quiet, close to amenities, great environment, pleasant surroundings, these were no doubt some of the reasons.
Location and History
The city is located roughly half way between Venice and Trieste, and on the river Noncello, so historically in a very strategic position. The word Pordenone appears in documents for the first time in the 12th century when it belonged to Albert I of Hapsburg, who was the Holy Roman Emperor at the time. Subsequently it was conquered by the Republic of Venice who defended it but in 1499 it suffered a devastating raid by the Ottomans who were always pushing at the borders of their empire trying to conquer land held by Venice. More recently, and after WW2, NATO established an Air Force base nearby and in the 1990s it was from here that US planes departed for Yugoslavia during the Balkan wars. So an awful lot has happened round here.
What to see
The graceful council building which was built in the 13th century when Pordenone was granted by Albert of Hapsburg the right to govern itself. The astronomical clock on the top measures the hours, the lunar phases and the months and it was made by the Ranieri brothers in the 15th century. These brothers also made the clock with the two Moors that you see in St Mark's Square. By the way (and apologies for the digression) did you know that Venice moors are also called il Giovane and il Vecchio (the young and the elder)? The old moor has a beard and sounds the hour two minutes before time to signify time which has passed whilst the young moor sounds the hour two minutes after time to signify the time that will come. The statue of Venice, the winged Lion, is just below the moors and above the statue of the Madonna, meaning that the political power of the Venice republic was more important than the papal powers.
The two figures on the Pordenone clock are also called Moors by association with Venice.
The best way to start a visit in Pordenone is to walk along Corso Vittorio Emanuele under the porticos and look at the beautiful palaces on either side. Many of them are frescoed on the exterior, with decorations in various shades of faded red, ochre and terracotta. Often the shape of the windows will remind you of Venice and its oriental look. On the exterior walls of Palazzo Crescendolo-Milani you can distinguish images representing the signs of the zodiac ... but, wait a second, there are thirteen of them! The thirteenth is a man holding a serpent, which apparently represented the period from 30th November to 17th December. On the walls of the Palazzo dei Capitani instead you see the coat of arms of the Hapsburgs.
One of the more stunning palaces is Palazzo Ricchieri, which now houses one of Pordenone museums but unfortunately in order to visit the museum you have to book.
Other landmarks are Borgo di Sotto, which is the oldest part of city, and the steeple of St Mark, which is 72 metres tall and was completed in 1372. In Via delle Mura it is possible also to see part of the ancient city walls. Finally, Pordenone boasts beautiful and ancient churches.
No doubt one of the reasons the inhabitants of Pordenone are very happy with their city is that the surrounding area is also very beautiful. There are pretty towns such as Sacile, which for some reason has always been in competition with Pordenone. In Italy such competition is called campanilismo since cities competed in building the tallest campanile or bell tower. There is also San Vito al Tagliamento and Oderzo, which are also historical and beautiful towns. The Friuli Alps always provide a stunning backdrop and the countryside is famous for the vineyards and delicious wines. Ah, that is also no doubt the 'ciliegina sulla torta', i.e. the cherry on the cake!
