Discover Gemona Del Friuli

Gemona Del Friuli Cathedral, the collections of its two museums, and routes for walking or cycling shape different aspects of a stay. Other highlights include the Santuario di Sant’Antonio as a pilgrimage destination and the Festa degli aquiloni, a long-standing tradition.

Cathedral and Museums: Architecture, Art and Archives

The cathedral stands in the historic center and is one of the most important churches in the Friuli region. Its façade brings together a Romanesque portal, a seven-meter-high statue of Saint Christopher, and the Gothic Galleria dei Re Magi. The gallery features nine statues depicting scenes from the Epiphany. Below ground, the cathedral preserves frescoes, a sacellum, an ossuary and the remains of an ancient tower.

The Museo della Pieve e Tesoro del Duomo is housed in Gemona’s 14th-century parish chancellery and preserves paintings, sculptures and liturgical vestments. The tour begins in an atrium behind the entrance from Vicolo delle Mura, where stone artifacts dating from the 13th to the 17th century are on display. The collection also includes fragments of frescoes from the cathedral, dated from the 12th to the 15th century, as well as antiphonaries and a gradual from the late 13th century. Old liturgical vestments are embroidered with gold, silver and silk threads. The historic parish archive collection preserves the oldest known baptismal registers; they date back to 1379.

At the Museo Renato Raffaelli, the underground exhibition route extends across five rooms. It begins with a 17th-century fresco depicting Saint Francis receiving the stigmata, with Brother Leo beside him. The works on display also include the gilded and painted Madonna Bella, an early 15th-century work from the Salzburg area. An elevator is available for visitors with mobility difficulties. For groups, guided tours can be arranged on other days and at other times by prior reservation. As reservation arrangements may change, confirm your preferred time with the museum in advance.

Pilgrimage Routes, Walking Tours and Cycling Routes

The Santuario di Sant’Antonio in Gemona Del Friuli is the first shrine in the world dedicated to Saint Anthony. A fragment of the original wall of the former Immaculata chapel is preserved there. The Cammino di Sant’Antonio also begins in Gemona Del Friuli and leads to the Basilica del Santo in Padua. The walking route consists of eleven stages between Friuli and Veneto. Friars Minor at the Santuario di Sant’Antonio issue pilgrims’ credentials free of charge.

The Ciclovia di Sant’Antonio connects Gemona Del Friuli and Padua, running from the Antonian shrine to the Basilica del Santo; the cycling route is divided into five stages. For a themed circular walk in the town, consider the Percorso delle antiche mura di Gemona: it is four kilometers long, starts and ends at the cathedral, and passes the medieval town walls and their gates along the way. The Percorso vita offers a different focus: this 611-meter-long route through green surroundings has 14 stations for exercises and training.

Landscape and Local Traditions

Gemona Del Friuli lies between the Tagliamento River and the mountains of Cuarnan and Cjampon, in a varied landscape. Gemona is also a junction for the FVG1 Alpe Adria cycle route, FVG3 Pedemontana and FVG6 del Tagliamento. Route names may be updated by the regional tourism authority, so check the latest information before planning your trip.

For more than 600 years, the Festa degli aquiloni has been held on Ascension Day in the meadows of Sella Sant’Agnese. The festival is open to everyone; making kites is part of the experience at the Bottega degli aquiloni. Pan di sorc is also associated with Gemona Del Friuli: it is a Slow Food Presidium. Another historical reference concerns Gemona Castle. Paul the Deacon names it as one of the castles fortified by the Lombards in 611 to defend against the Avars.

Discover more destinations: Trivignano Udinese, Ampezzo, Raveo, Palmanova, Lestizza, San Pietro Al Natisone, Tolmezzo, Teor.

View the full travel guide: Udine.