Aquileia

Aquileia

Aquileia, an important city of the Roman Empire and then the main centre for the diffusion of Christianity in Northern and Eastern Europe, represents an extraordinary opportunity to broaden knowledge, offering an unforgettable visiting experience.

It has been a UNESCO site since 1998 due to the importance of its archaeological area and the beauty of the floor mosaics that it safeguards. An example, the “Domus di Tito Macro”, one of the largest dwellings of Roman era among those found in northern Italy, covers an area of 1,700 square metres and is unique in Europe and the largest mosaic of the Western Christian world, which is found in the Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta.
The Basilica is ancient Aquileia’s largest and most admired monument.
What we see today is the result of various renovations and extensions that have been carried out over the course of the centuries, but that have not compromised the grandeur of the building and the allure that it still holds for visitors.

The Basilica’s real gem is its floor mosaic, which covered the two large halls of worship that were built at the beginning of the fourth century. The mosaic in the southern hall, that which corresponds to the current Basilica, is the largest in the Christian Western world with its 750 square metres.
The baptistery most likely dates back to the late 4th or early 5th century, however, it has undergone much renovation work over the years, which has changed its appearance. Inside, the baptismal font was used for baptisms by immersion, as was customary at the time.
On the north and south sides of the baptistery, there were two rectangular mosaic rooms, probably used for preparing catechumens. Today, the south room of the baptistery, known as the Südhalle, is incorporated into a specifically built museum building, allowing visitors to admire the mosaic floor and the precious "peacock" mosaic, which originally decorated an apse of the narthex, the long passage that led from the baptistery to the basilica.