Discover Santa Maria la Longa

Santa Maria la Longa combines traces of the past with an agricultural landscape. Those looking for a place with churches, villas, memorials and selected routes for their trip can discover different facets of the Friulian lowlands here. When choosing your accommodation, it is particularly interesting to decide whether you want to focus on culture and local history or on a route through the municipality.

Culture and History in the Town

A monument to Giuseppe Ungaretti stands in the central Piazza Divisione Julia. Next to the monument are three karst stones engraved with poems by the writer. In the centre of Santa Maria la Longa, a historic pillory also recalls the town’s past; it is considered the last surviving pillory in the Friulian lowlands.

Several buildings and churches add to this cultural profile. Villa Bearzi is a 17th-century building near the parish church of Santa Maria la Longa. Villa Colloredo Mels also dates from the 17th century and has a striking Venetian window on its façade. Villa Vintani, now Villa Zamaro, was the summer residence of the Patriarchs of Aquileia in the 16th century. Casa Plateo preserves a plaque from 1739 dedicated to Count Zuanne Rados, a commander of the Serenissima.

The religious buildings also display a variety of historical and artistic details. The Neo-Gothic parish church of Santo Stefano Udinese was built between 1873 and 1878 to a design by Girolamo d'Aronco. The church of Santo Stefano Udinese also contains a 1937 painting of the Martyrdom of Saint Stephen by Giuseppe Barazzutti. The church of San Giuseppe in Santo Stefano Udinese preserves 17th-century frescoes depicting the Pietà and Saint Valentine. Another church of San Giuseppe, dating from the 16th century, stands just outside the town in an isolated location among the grain fields. The Canonica is a 16th-century building with a religious fresco depicting the Nativity. In Mereto di Capitolo, the church of San Pietro has a façade with a bell gable and a small porch at the side door featuring frescoes from the early 16th century.

Routes and Landscape

Santa Maria la Longa also offers a scenic perspective for trip planning. The Anello delle ville friulane (R038) circular route starts at Santa Maria la Longa town hall. Those wishing to take this route can use the listed Udine–Grado bus service; bicycles are not transported on this bus. The Ciclovia Alpe Adria first crosses the municipality in the district of Santo Stefano Udinese when approaching from Merlana.

The largely agricultural municipal area is crossed by the 17th-century Roggia di Palma. Other watercourses diverted from a Ledra canal date from the second half of the 19th century. These historic waterways are just as much a part of the town’s character as the scattered memorials, churches and villas.

Choose Accommodation to Match Your Travel Plans

When looking for a hotel in Santa Maria la Longa, you can first decide which themes you want to shape your days. Culture enthusiasts can plan around Piazza Divisione Julia, the historic villas and the churches with their frescoes and paintings. Those who would rather include a route can use the circular trail or the course of the Ciclovia Alpe Adria as a guide.

More Places to Include in Your Travel Plans

If you would like to add more places to your trip, these are the direct destinations: Povoletto, Bertiolo, Marano Lagunare, Aiello del Friuli, Buja, Manzano, Castelmonte and San Valentino.

For the broader travel overview: Udine.