Palazzo d’Attimis: Historic Palace of the Lords of Maniago
Site at a Glance
- Rating
- 4.7
- Popularity
- Very Low
- Country
- Italy
- Primary era
- Early Modern
- External website
- Open
- Eras represented
- Medieval, Early Modern
- Civilizations
- Venetian
- Site type
- Domestic
- Remains
- Elite Residence
On this page12 sections
History
Foundation and completion
Palazzo d’Attimis is a historic palace in Maniago, Italy, built for the lords of Maniago, one of the oldest feudal families of Friuli. Construction was formally initiated in 1420 to commemorate an agreement between Bartolomeo di Maniago and the Venetian Republic, the maritime state based in Venice that controlled territories in northeastern Italy, including parts of Friuli. The palace developed over several years, possibly decades, and reached completion in 1739.
The eighteenth-century transformation
The year 1739 held particular importance for the Maniago family because Fabio I di Maniago married Caterina di Spilimbergo, a member of another historic Friulian noble family. For the wedding, the central section of the palace was reorganized and extensively decorated. A long staircase of white marble was constructed, while the principal reception rooms were given frescoed decoration around 1740. Fabio I was probably responsible for both painting the frescoes and designing this work.
In the years that followed, an English-style garden was developed within the palace complex. An adjoining church was also built for the Maniago family’s daily Masses. During the twentieth century, the palace served as a civilian hospital for patients and wounded people from the wider Pordenone area and neighboring provinces.
Earthquake damage and continued use
The 1976 earthquake caused major damage to the palace. Restoration continued for several years and was intended to return the building to its original condition. Palazzo d’Attimis remains private property and is also used for congresses and other events, including weddings, concerts, conventions, and sporting events.
Remains
Exterior and grounds
Façade
The palace has two floors and stands beside Piazza Italia. Its façade, viewed from the square, carries a sixteenth-century fresco by Pomponio Amalteo, a painter associated with the Renaissance tradition of northeastern Italy. The image shows the Lion of Saint Mark, the emblem of the Venetian Republic and a representation of Saint Mark, holding the Maniago family coat of arms instead of its customary Gospel book.
English-style garden
The palace includes a six-hectare inner garden designed in the English style. Fabio II di Maniago commissioned the garden from Francesco Bertoldi, who had previously worked as a gardener at Villa Manin. After several years of travel among the courts of major European rulers, Fabio II ordered the planting of rare species that still form part of the park.
Adjoining church
An adjoining church forms part of the palace complex and stands next to the building. It was built for the Maniago family’s daily Masses and remains a physical element of the complex.
Interior rooms
Reception rooms
The principal floor contains the main reception room, three additional rooms, a gallery, and the Hall of Cabinets. The reception rooms retain frescoes, and their ceilings use exposed beams in the Sansovino manner, a Renaissance Venetian architectural vocabulary associated with the architect Jacopo Sansovino. Small touches of gold embellish the beams. The main reception room faces directly onto the central square and has a large Murano-glass chandelier at the center of its ceiling.
Hall of Cabinets
The Hall of Cabinets formerly stored the palace’s linen. Its eighteenth-century cabinets remain preserved intact, providing a surviving interior feature connected with the practical operation of the household.
Nearby sites
