The history of the Castle of Villalta is lost in the mists of time, as evidenced by the Roman foundations and traces of a fortress. The oldest known document dates back to 1158.
Several times besieged, destroyed and rebuilt between 1200 and 1400, its monumental structure was enlarged in 1500. It was for centuries the property of the Lords of Villalta-Caporiacco and the Counts of the Tower, who gave multiple Patriarchs to Aquileia.
The fights with the Counts of Gorizia were famous. The adventures of Count Lucio della Torre caused the Serenissima to occupy the castle.
The occupation of Napoleonic troops under the command of Marshal Bernadotte and the establishment of an Austro-Hungarian command after the defeat of Caporetto mark the most important recent events. The double walls, the patrol walkways, the drawbridge, the defense towers and the picturesque and romantic inner courtyards reflect an era of greatness and strategic importance.
This importance of the castle is reflected in Udine, where one of its gates is called “Porta Villalta”.
The lords of Villalta, a branch of the ancient Caporiacco lineage that boast Roman (Cavorius) and Celtic origin as well as the consanguineous branch of the Castello (today Frangipane), are among the most important historical families of the Friuli homeland. Belonging to the rank of free feudal lords, directly invested by the emperors for centuries, they opposed the temporal power of the Patriarchs of Aquileia. There are many prominent personalities of the family including the famous Arctic leader of Villalta, Bishop Adalgerio, the poet Federico unhappily in love with the beautiful Lucrezia Mantica.
