Pordenone, Province of Pordenone, Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, Italy. The name comes from the latin "Portus Naonis" meaning the port on the river Noncello (Latin Naon). For many centuries it was a Germanic area in the Friuli territory. In 1968 Pordenone became capital of the newly established province with the same name, including territory previously belonging to the province of Udine.

Pordenone was founded in the High Middle Ages but there were already villas and agricultural settlements in the Roman age. In 1378 the city passed to the Habsburg family, forming an Austrian enclave within the territory of Patriarchate of Aquileia. In the 14th century Pordenone grew substantially due to the flourishing river trades.

In 1514 it was acquired by the Republic of Venice, under which a new port was built and the manifactures improved. After 1815 Pordenone was included in the Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia. The railway connection and the construction of the Pontebbana road implied the decline of the port, but spurred a substantial industrial development (especially for the working of cotton). Pordenone was annexed to Italy in 1866. The cotton sector, however, decayed after the destructions of World War I and the 1929 crisis, and never recovered.

WHAT TO SEE IN PORDENONE

• The Corso Vittorio Emanuele, also called Contrada Maggiore, which was the main street of the ancient Pordenone.
• The Museo Civico, in the Ricchieri Palace, with an art collection of the Renaissance and Baroque time.
• The Palazzo del Comune, built in the 14th century.
• The cathedral, in the Romanesque-Gothic style.
• Noncello
• Piazza della Motta
• Santa Maria degli Angeli
• The Museo delle Scienze, in the Amalteo Palace, with collections of paleontology, minerology and zoology.

Italy is one of the most diverse places in the world to visit but there is more to the country than Venice, Florence, Roma, Cinque Terre and a couple of other top attractions. If you plan your days well and understand how to move around within the country you can get a great cost effective vacation full of activity, history, culture, and great food and wine. Contact us to get the insights to travel in Italy. We offer:

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