Carnia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Carnia (Cjargne in standard Friulian, Cjargna/Cjargno in local variants of Friulian, Karnien in German) is a historical-geographic region of Friuli, which is part of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia Region.

Collina, Forni Avoltri, Carnia

It covers the western and central part of the Carnic Alps mountain range in the Province of Udine, therefore it borders Veneto and Austria (Carinthia), but not Slovenia. The main town is Tolmezzo.

Italian is the official language. Nevertheless Friulian, a Rhaeto-Romance language, is widely spoken. The German Austro-Bavarian dialect can be heard in the language islands of Sauris, Paluzza-Timau and Sappada.

...oh noci della Carnia addio!

Erra tra i vostri rami il pensier mio

sognando l'ombre d'un tempo che fu!...

—Giosuè Carducci, Il comune rustico

English translation:

... oh walnuts of Carnia, farewell!

My thought is roaming through your branches,

Dreaming of the shadows of the time that was!...

Carnia (Cjargne in Friulian, local Carnic pronunciation Cjargno, Ciargne, Ciargna; Karnien in German), is an historic-geographic region of Friuli, whose municipalities all belong to the province of Udine, in the framework of the autonomous region Friuli-Venezia Giulia.

File:BandieradellaCarnia.jpg

Flag of Carnia

[edit] Geography

It is located in the Carnic Alps; it is bounded to the north by Austria, to the south the province of Pordenone, to the west Veneto, and to the east Canal del Ferro-Valcanale (Ferro-Valcanale outfall), which also are part of the province of Udine.

[edit] The valleys

Carnia is formed of seven valleys, each of them is run through by a stream from which the valleys take their name (except for Valcalda). Each of these valleys is usually referred to as a canale (in Italian) / cjanâl (in Friulian), i.e. an outfall, to emphasize its long and narrow shape:

Bût valley, Val Bût or Canale di San Pietro (in Friulian: Cjanâl di Sant Pieri)
Degano valley, Val Degano or Canale di Gorto (in Friulian: Cjanâl di Guart)
Lumiei valley, Val Lumiei (Valade dal Lumiei)
Tagliamento valley, Val Tagliamento (in Friulian: Cjanâl di Soclêf or Petecarie)
Pesarina valley, Val Pesarina (in Friulian: Cjanâl Pedarç)
Chiarsò valley, Val Chiarsò or Canale di Incaroio (in Friulian: Cjanâl di Incjaroi)
Valcalda valley, Valcalda (in Friulian: Valcjalde or Cjanâl di Monai)

Each of these valleys and their homonymous streams meet in a common valley floor where the main centre of Carnia is located: Tolmezzo

[edit] The municipalities

The following are the 28 municipalities of Carnia (next to the Italian name, the Friulian one is quoted):

Comune	Inhabitants (2006)	Area (km²)	Administrative Subdivisions
Amaro (Damâr)	811	33.26	-
Ampezzo (Dimpeç)	1,089	73.61	Oltris, Voltois
Arta Terme (Darte)	2,287	52.24	Avosacco, Cabia, Cedarchis, Lovea, Piano d'Arta, Piedim, Rivalpo, Valle
Cavazzo Carnico (Cjavaç)	1,108	38.69	Cesclans, Mena, Somplago
Cercivento (Çurçuvint)	748	15.36	Cercivento di Sotto, Cercivento di Sopra
Comeglians (Comelians, loc. Comalians)	603	19.52	Calgaretto, Maranzanis, Mieli, Noiaretto, Povolaro, Runchia, Tualis
Enemonzo (Denemonç)	1,389	23.70	Colza, Esemon di Sotto, Fresis, Maiaso, Quinis, Tartinis
Forni Avoltri (For di Avoltri, loc. Fôr Davuatri)	681	80.71	Collina, Collinetta, Frassenetto, Sigilletto
Forni di Sopra (Fôr Disore)	1,087	81.16	Andrazza, Cella, Vico
Forni di Sotto (Fôr Disot)	701	93.54	Tredolo, Baselia, Vico
Lauco (Lauc)	819	34.58	Allegnidis, Avaglio, Buttea, Chiassis, Trava, Vinaio
Ligosullo (Liussûl)	195	16.75	Murzalis
Ovaro (Davâr)	2,126	57.88	Agrons, Cella, Chialina, Clavais, Cludinico, Entrampo, Lenzone, Liariis, Luincis, Luint, Mione, Muina, Ovasta
Paluzza (Paluce)	2,494	69.96	Casteons, Cleulis, Rivo, Timau
Paularo (Paulâr)	2,855	84.23	Casaso, Chiaulis, Dierico, Misincinis, Ravinis, Rio, Salino, Trelli, Villafuori, Villamezzo
Prato Carnico (Prât)	1,007	81.48	Avausa, Croce, Osais, Pesariis, Pieria, Pradumbli, Prico, Sostasio, Truia
Preone (Preon)	297	22.51	-
Ravascletto (Ravasclêt, locally Monai)	596	26.32	Salars, Zovello
Raveo (Raviei)	480	12.63	Esemon di Sopra
Rigolato (Rigulât)	579	30.47	Givigliana, Gracco, Ludaria, Magnanins, Stalis, Tors, Valpicetto, Vuezzis
Sauris (Zahre, in the local germanic dialect)	427	41.52	La Màina, Latéis, Sàuris di Sotto, Sàuris di Sopra, Velt
Socchieve (Soclêf)	950	65.95	Caprizzi, Dilignìdis, Feltrone, Lungis, Mediis, Nonta, Priuso, Viaso
Sutrio (Sudri)	1,393	21.06	Nojaris, Priola
Treppo Carnico (Trep)	653	18.71	Gleris, Siaio, Tausia, Zenodis
Verzegnis (loc. Verzegnas)	924	38.80	Chiaicis, Chiaulis, Intissans, Villa
Villa Santina (Vile)	2,234	13.00	Invillino
Zuglio (Zui)	633	8.31	Fielis, Formeaso, Sezza

Tolmezzo (Tumieç)	10,539	65.69	Cadunea, Caneva, Casanova, Cazzaso, Fusea, Illegio, Imponzo, Terzo

Totale	39,705	1,221.64	124

It is actually dutiful to add to the ones above the municipality of Sappada (Sapade, Plodn in the local German dialect), which is now part of the province of Belluno, and the village Alesso (Dalès) part of the municipality of Trasaghis.

[edit] The mountains

The mountains are composed by different geologic belts. They are made of three different types of rock: limestone, dolostone and fint-stone.
Carnia is spanned by the Carnic Alps, which extend from Passo di Monte Croce di Comelico to sella di Camporosso, where Alpi Giulie begin and rise (on the Italian side) between Fella and the upper Isonzo rivers.
The north side of the carnic ridge sets up the boundary with Austria; on the south it is delimited by the stream Pontebbana, and, on the upper side of Pontebba, by the flow of the Fella.
Mount Coglians (m. 2780) is the highest peak of Carnic Alps. Together with the cluster of Creta delle Cjanevate if forms an impressive horst at the Austrian boundary. Other main peaks of Carnia are:

Mount Peralba m 2,694
Mount Cridola m 2,580
Mount Fleons m 2,507
Mount Pramaggiore m 2,479
Mount Bìvera m 2,472
Mount Volaia m 2,470
Creta Forata m 2,462
Mount Siera m 2,443
Mount Tiarfin m 2,417
Mount Crostis m 2,252
Creta di Timau m 2,218
Mount Sernio m 2,190
Mount Tinisa m 2,120

[edit] The rivers

The most important river is named Tagliamento, which springs nearby Mauria Pass (in the municipality of Calalzo) at an altitude of 1,195 meters. Along its long way throughout Carnia, the Tagliamento river riceives water from 6 tributaries, all coming from left with respect to it: the Bût, the Degano, the Lumiei, the Pesarina, the Chiarsò, and the Monai, which name the valleys they lie in.

[edit] Flora

Forests are large and mostly composed of firs, beeches, and larches. Pastures are located mainly at high altitudes, in sunny slopes, which are not suited for agriculture though.

Carnia can boast many natural beauties thanks to the absence of big industrial centres and to the effective protection by ecologist public agencies and organizations.
In Carnia grow 2,000 vegetable species, about a thousand types of mushroms, and some fifty types of orchids.

Vegetation changes as the height of the environment raises. Up to the height of 400 - 500 meters stand durmast and chestnut woods and some submontane cultivation zones but very soon they are replaced by the mountain flora, typical of the forests: beechwood, fir-wood, and pine-wood. Above 1,500 metres the arboreous vegetations becomes rather poor, trees become more and more sparse, small and bare up to the altimetrical limit of tree growth, which in Carnia stands at 1,700 metres - the lowest in the alpine region. Further on only bushes and emerald-green pastures can be found.
In late springs on the pastures a colour explosion of wild azaleas andgentians can be admired.

[edit] The climate

The climate is severe, very hard in winter and cool in summer. It is characterized by violent winds and showers of rain. With respect to the other zones of the Alps, in Carnia lower altimetrical limits of about 400-500 metres can be observed. For example while in the Western Alps the vegetation stops from growing above 2,300 metres, in Carnia it stops already at 1,900 metres. This lowering of the arboreal altimetrical limit is due to the thermal inversion, caused by the constant flow of cold winds coming from the north-east ("burano" wind), which reaches the region from the siberian and danubian districts.

[edit] Protected Areas

In Carnia the following areas have been declared as protected:

Natural Park of Dolomiti (Parco naturale delle Dolomiti Friulane), located in Forni di Sopra

Intermunicipal Park of Carnic Hills (Parco intercomunale delle Colline Carniche), located in Villa Santina

[edit] History

This region was initially populated by Carnics, a Celtic people, from whom its name comes.
The Carnics lived for centuries in the fertile plains between the Rhine (Germany) and the Danube where other Celtic peoles lived.
Starting from 400 B.C., the demographic growth and the pressure of the Germanic people, originated a migratory flood towards the south. The Carnics crossed the Alps through the Mount Croce Carnico pass and settled in the region which is nowadays named Carnia and in the piedmont zone of Friuli. They practiced hunting and sheep-farming. During the hard winters the shepherds used to move with their cattle down to the piedmont plains. Also they were skillful iron and wood manufacturers.
The Carnics were headed by a king and a sacerdotal caste (made of druids).

The first historical date related to the arrival of the Carnics is 186 B.C., when some 50,000 Carnics, composed of armed men, women and children descended towards the plains (in which they previously used to winter) and on a hill they founded a stable defensive settlement, Akileja.
The Romans, concerned by the expansion of this peole, in 183 B.C. forced back the Carnics to the mountains, they destroyed their settlement and they founded a defensive settlement at the north-east boundaries. The new settlement was named Aquileia, after the former Celtic name Akileja. The triumvirs that founded that settlement were Publius Scipio Nasica, Caius Flaminius and Lucius Manlius Acidinus.

In order to stem the Roman expansion and to acquire the fertile and more hospitable plains, the Carnics tried to form alliances with the Istrian, the Gaepidae, and the Taurisci Celts.
As Rome, in turn, was more and more becoming awere of the impending danger coming from the Carnics and as it wanted to accelerate its own expansion, it sended to the north-east the legions of consul Marcus Emilius Scaurus, who finally defeated the Carnics in the battle of 15th November 115 B.C..

Later on, the Carnics, characterized by a docile temper and who had been defeated in battle, submitted to Rome, accepting its commands and its concessions.

In the course of the following centuries, the Carnic and Roman customs and blood would get mixed and this union of two deeply different cultures would slowly give rise to a new people, the Aquileiese or Friulan People.
The mixing of the two languages would give rise to the Friulian language.

In the mean time Aquileia enlarged its importance. It became a Municipium Romanum in 90 B.C.; it was an important commercial and hand-craft production centre. Also it was the main port on the Adriatic sea and a garrison settlemnent.

[edit] Photographic Gallery

Volaia Lake	Forni Avoltri View	Mount Coglians	Mount Peralba
CLAVAIS.jpg The little village of Clavais	Mount Bìvera nearby Sauris	Dolomitic mountains "pesarine": Creta Forata