Aquiliea and really old stuff!

We finally made it to Aquileia last weekend and it was well worth the visit. We took the bus from the Cervignano train station and got off at the first stop in Aquileia to go to the Paleocristiano Museum (free entry). I can recommend the bar opposite the bus stop for coffee and pastries. Aquiliea was first established in about 183 B.C. and was a very important city up to the end of the 4th century AD. In 452 A.D Attila the Hun completely destroyed the town and, understandably, everyone ran for the lagoons (starting the establishment of Venice and Grado). The Paleocristiano Museum is built over the ruins of a 5th century basilica that was later used as a monastery. As well as the ruins, the museum has some marvellous examples of 4-5 century mosaics and stonework, the patterns and pictures used in this time period are a lot different from what we've seen in other churches; geometrical patterns (very Celtic looking) and animals and plants were used a lot.

Floor mosaics in the basilica; I particularly liked the squids in the bottom left photo.

We walked from the museum along the Porto Fluviale, this is a lovely tree lined path between the ruins of the river port that joined Aquileia to the sea. Our walk was accompanied by the soft sound of gunfire in the distance...I think it's goose hunting season (yee-haw). The Porto Fluviale ends at the rather impressive basilica. The basilica was built on the site of an early church and contains floor mosaics dating from the 4th century and frescos from the 4th to the 12th centuries. The Crypt of Frescos in the basilica. The frescos tell the story of Saint Hermagoras and the chopping off of his head. Against one wall of the crypt are boxes containing the bones of creepy dead people.

Connected to the basilica is a 5th century baptistery, it seems to be around this time that baptism for the young started to become the norm. In the 4th century, apart from emergency baptism of children, people seemed to hold out from baptism until they were getting on in years. This way they could do all the naughty things in their youth and then have the slate wiped clean.

The fifth century baptistery; seems rather pagan to me...standing stones, hexagons...

The Archaeological Museum (€4 entry + a DVD in English or German) is packed full of old bits and pieces and is one of the few museums we've been to where the staff actually seem eager for you to come in. A building in the garden contains the remains of a Roman boat that was found near Monfalcone. Aquileia itself is a living museum with ruins dating back to 1 A.D., and active dig sites dotted all over the place so just wandering around is an experience in itself.