The building where the National Archaeological Museum of Cividale del Friuli is now settled down, can be compared to the backdrop of an ideal stage constituted by the piazza del Duomo.  It was built with the purpose of  becoming the seat of the “Provveditori” , (or Governors) of the Republic of Venice and was erected over the foundations of the formerly existing mansion of the Patriarchs, as ordered by the Patriarch Callisto, therefore after AD 737. The palace, restructured many times along the years, was seriously damaged by the earthquake that struck  Cividale in 1511.

The original design of the building, dates back to 1565 and is ascribed to Andrea Palladio. The construction begun in 1581 and 15 years were necessary to complete it.  The entrance, at street level is  defined by  a wide portico of nine arches supported by sturdy piers. From the times of its erection and down to the end of the Republic of Venice the mansion served as residence to over 150 Provveditori, all scions of noble venetian families, as testified by the inscriptions and the family crests displayed on the façade.

The collections exhibited in the halls at the ground floor Museum describe the history of the town starting from the ancient Roman age, when Cividale was a municipium, until  the period of the occupation by the Republic of Venice. The itinerary is punctuated by the magnificent mosaics found in several local domus, by the public inscriptions engraved in stone slabs, and by sculptures coming from churches and mansions of medieval Cividale.

Upstairs, at the noble floor, you can admire an enchanting  series of funerary objects from the various burial grounds excavated in the town and the surroundings of the Duchy, which tell us about the magnificent charm and the unique features of Longobard culture, whilst shedding light on their important contribution  over medieval Italy.

Site of the Museum