Tarcento (; ) is a small city and (municipality) in the Regional decentralization entity of Udine in the

Friuli-Venezia Giulia Friuli-Venezia Giulia () is one of the 20 regions of Italy and one of five autonomous regions with special statute. The regional capital is Trieste on the Gulf of Trieste, a bay of the Adriatic Sea. Friuli-Venezia Giulia has an area of and a ...

region of north-eastern

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

. The town officially became a city when the local church was given back its rank of .

History

Tarcento occupies a strategic location at a bridging point on the River Torre. Archaeological finds indicate a very early date for its first human settlement. Tarcento first appears in the historical record around the year 1126 CE, when an Austrian nobleman, Machland, from Perg, was feudal overlord of the castle around which the town had developed. Subsequently, a second castle was built on the hill of Coia. In 1219 the Caporiacco family took over as feudal overlords. Both castles were badly damaged during wars for control of the area between the

Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages, and lasted for a millennium ...

and the

Republic of Venice The Republic of Venice, officially the Most Serene Republic of Venice and traditionally known as La Serenissima, was a sovereign state and Maritime republics, maritime republic with its capital in Venice. Founded, according to tradition, in 697 ...

in the Middle Ages, and in 1420 CE Tarcento became part of the territory controlled by the Venetian Republic. The main castle was burnt down in a peasant's uprising and then damaged by a serious earthquake, both in 1511 CE. Nothing remains of that castle today. A corner of the tower of the castle on the hill of Coia can still be seen. Following the Napoleonic conquest of the Venetian Republic in 1797, Tarcento came under Austrian Rule. In 1866 Tarcento became part of the Kingdom of Italy. During

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, Tarcento was close to the front line on the eastern front. After the Italian rout at the

Battle of Caporetto The Battle of Kobarid (also known as the Twelfth Battle of the Isonzo, the Battle of Caporetto or the Battle of Karfreit) took place on the Italian front of World War I. The battle was fought between the Kingdom of Italy and the Central P ...

in 1917, Tarcento was occupied by the Austrians until the end of the war. A catastrophic earthquake in 1976 caused a great deal of damage in the town and its surroundings, all of which has subsequently been repaired.

Twin towns – sister cities

Tarcento is twinned with: *

Arnoldstein Arnoldstein (, ) is a market town in the district of Villach-Land in the Austrian state of Carinthia. Geography Location Arnoldstein is located at Austria's southern border between the Carnic Alps and the Karawanken mountain range, near the c ...

, Austria *

Bovec Bovec (; , , ) is a town in the Slovene Littoral, Littoral region in northwestern Slovenia, close to the border with Italy. It is the central settlement of the Municipality of Bovec. Geography Bovec is located from the capital Ljubljana, at an e ...

, Slovenia *

Unterföhring Unterföhring is a Municipalities of Germany, municipality in Upper Bavaria. It lies adjacent to the northeast side of Munich, and is one of the nearest suburbs to Munich's Marienplatz, central district. History Before the establishment of Munich ...

, Germany

Main sights

*''Palazzo dei Frangipane'' (18th century), with an octagonal

loggia In architecture, a loggia ( , usually , ) is a covered exterior Long gallery, gallery or corridor, often on an upper level, sometimes on the ground level of a building. The corridor is open to the elements because its outer wall is only parti ...

. *The Parish church of St. Peter (12th century), with a rich Baroque high altar. *''Villa De Rubeis'', built in the 17th century over a pre-existing 12th century structure. It has noteworthy paintings, doors with painted mirrors and a notable central hall. *'' Arboreto Pascul'', an

arboretum An arboretum (: arboreta) is a botanical collection composed exclusively of trees and shrubs of a variety of species. Originally mostly created as a section in a larger garden or park for specimens of mostly non-local species, many modern arbor ...

. *''Cjscjelat'', the ruined castle tower on Coia where, each 6 January, the "pignarul grant" takes place, an ancient bonfire ceremony believed to have Celtic origins. *''Villa Moretti'' (19th century) a house formerly owned by the Moretti brewing family, and now an arts centre, situated on the hill of Coia and since a storm damage in severe degrade. * ''Cjase dai Tomâts'': permanent exhibition of "tomâts", typical wooden masks handcrafted following an old tradition "https://www.studionord.news/tarcento-inaugurata-la-cjase-dai-tomats-gestita-dai-mascarars-di-tarcint/"

People

* Giovanni Antonio Agostini, painter * Giancarlo Cruder, (1947), politician * Gian Giuseppe Liruti, (1689-1780), literary man, numismatic * Ella von Schultz-Adaïewsky, (1846-1926), musicologist and pianist *

Giovanni Marinelli Giovanni Marinelli (18 October 1879 – 11 January 1944) was an Italian Fascism, Italian Fascist political leader. Biography Marinelli was born in Adria, Veneto. A wealthy man, Marinelli contributed to Fascist success by financing the March on ...

, (1846-1900), geographer; he was 4 times a Member of Parliament of Gemona-Tarcento *

Angelo Angeli Angelo Angeli (20 August 1864 – 31 May 1931) was an Italian chemist. Angeli's salt and the Angeli–Rimini reaction are named after him. Scientific career Angeli studied in Padua, where he met the chemist Giacomo Luigi Ciamician. When ...

, (1864-1931), chemist * Arturo Malignani, (1865-1939), inventor - from 1898 to 1900 he built the Crosis dam, with its splendid waterfall, and the Ciseriis power plant * Olinto Marinelli, (1876-1926), geographer * Chino Ermacora, (1894-1957), writer * Aldo Moretti, (1909-2002), presbyter and partisan,

Gold Medal of Military Valour The Gold Medal of Military Valor () is an Italian medal established on 21 May 1793 by King Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia for deeds of outstanding gallantry in war by junior officers and soldiers. The face of the medal displayed the profile o ...

* Anzil Toffolo, (1911-2000), painter * Vittorio Gritti, founder of the Gruppo Folkloristico "Chino Ermacora", creator of the Festival of Hearts and Prize Epifania * Luciano Ceschia, (1925-1991), sculptor, painter * Albino Lucatello, (1927-1984), painter * Bruna Sibille Sizia, journalist, writer * Claudio Giorgi, (1944), actor, cinematographic director * Toni Zanussi, (1952), painter * Luigi Miconi, soccer player, coach * Elena Aganoor, (1852–1912), poet * Ugo Giavitto, (1920-1941),

References

* ''L'Italia da scoprire'', vol. 1. Giorgio Mondadori, 2004 {{FriuliVeneziaGiulia-geo-stub