Pordenone

Pordenone is a city and comune in northeastern Italy, capital of the Province of Pordenone in the region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. It sits on the banks of the Noncello River in the Friulian plain, near the Dolomites and the Adriatic coast.

The area has ancient origins with Roman presence. In the Middle Ages it developed as a commune with alliances to Aquileia and later to the Republic of Venice. It remained under Venetian rule until the late 18th century, then passed to the Austrian Empire, and finally became part of Italy after World War II. The city experienced growth in the 19th and early 20th centuries, with industry, trade and rail connections shaping its development. It suffered wartime bombardments and postwar reconstruction.

Today Pordenone is an administrative and commercial center with manufacturing and services playing major roles. The city hosts trade fairs at the Pordenone Fiere and supports a thriving cultural calendar, including the annual Pordenonelegge festival, a prominent literary event attracting authors and readers. The historical center preserves medieval and Renaissance features.

Key landmarks include the Cathedral of St. Mark, the Church of San Giorgio, and the Civic Art Gallery housed in Palazzo Ricchieri, which contains works by regional masters and the Renaissance painter commonly known as Il Pordenone. The old town also features narrow streets and historic palazzi around the central squares.

Pordenone is served by a railway station on the Venice–Udine corridor and is connected by major highways, linking it with Trieste, Udine and Padua.