In Friuli, one of the must-see places to visit is the
town of Aquileia.
The city was founded by the Romans in 181BC and soon
became a major port city. Although several kilometers inland, it was connected
to the sea by a series of canals (the remains of which can still be seen
today).
As a frontier town, it was plundered by Attila in the
5th Century, forcing
the Roman population to flee to the nearby lagoons, thus laying the foundations
for the creation of the cities of Venice and Grado.
As well as the Roman ruins, Aquileia is famous for the basilica (built
in the 11th Century)
and its mosaic floor (created in the 4th Century) depicting life in later Roman
times.
Did you know: the mosaics were not discovered until 1909
when the medieval clay floor was removed.
In the east part of the basilica and on a lower level are
the remains of a 1st Century
house and its mosaic floor.
|
An overview of the floor to the church |
|
These are the foundations to the bell tower |
|
This is a mosaic from the 1st Century |
|
More of the 1st Century mosaic |
|
The First World War cemetery |
|
Ruins of the Roman port system |
|
Looking along the port complex towards the bell tower |
|
Ruins of the Forum |