The Piazza, Venzone

John Taylor Arms

In addition to John Taylor Arms’ apt rendering of the plaza in the medieval village of Venzone, Italy, he has allowed his focus to linger equally on the extraordinary geological formations of the Julian Prealps just beyond.

The fortified medieval village of Venzone is situated in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of northeast Italy. Once an important stop on a trade route that led from the Adriatic Coast to the Eastern Alps, the development of better routes by the 16th century meant Venzone was no longer an important commercial hub. However, its beauty and its situation in the valley of the Tagliamento River, between the Carnic Prealps and the Julian Alps, made it a continuing destination for travelers.

In 1976 an earthquake devastated the village, destroying most of the historic structures. Determined villagers rebuilt Venzone using the original methods, so as to keep the historic nature of the village intact.