Udine - Cattedrale di Santa Maria Annunziata

Udine is the historical capital of Friuli. Based on an old legend, Attila the leader of the Huns, had his winter quarters here, when besieging nearby Aquileia.

In 983 Udine was mentioned, when Empereor Otto II donated a castle to the Patriarchs of Aquileia. When Berthold V. von Andechs (1180-1251), brother of French queen consort Agnes of Merania, Hungarian queen consort Gertrude of Merania, Saint Hedwig of Silesia and strong supporter of Hohenstaufen Emperor Frederick II, in 1238 became Patriarch of Aquileia, he moved the capital of the ecclesiastical state from Cividale to Udine, where he gave orders to erect a cathedral. The building process got interrupted by the "1348 Friuli earthquake", that caused severe damages.

The "Duomo Cattedrale di Santa Maria Annunziata" was finally completed in 1461, but underwent many alterations over the next centuries.

The cathedral has a small octagonal bapstistery, like many towns and cities in Italy (eg. Pisa, Pistoia, Galliano, Parma, Firenze). Here it was used as a foundation, when the massive campanile got built with red bricks.

The baptisterium today hosts the cathedral´s museum.