The municipality is located in north-easternItaly on the right bank of theIsonzo River, about 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) southwest ofGorizia. It receivedtown privileges on 14 July 1936. As of a 2021 census, the population of Gradisca is about 6,370.[4]
The town is an important centre of the Friulian culture in theJulian Venetia region.
The town's name is aSlavic toponym: in archaic Slovene,gradišče (cf.gord) was a term indicating a fortified site or a ruin and is a widespreadtoponym in theSlovene Lands. The strategically-important area on the Isonzo River was probably already settled inRoman times and under theKingdom of the Lombards, later exposed to the attacks byHungarian forces onNorthern Italy.
Gradisca Castle
The rural settlement of Gradisca is mentioned for the first time in 1176, when it had a mixed population of Slavic and Latin origin. It then belonged to the estate ofFarra, held by thePatriarchs of Aquileia. From 1420 onwards their lands were gradually conquered by theRepublic of Venice, annexed and incorporated into the VenetianDomini di Terraferma in 1473. The Venetians fortified Gradisca as a bastion againstOttoman raids, then part of a massive defence line along the Isonzo River relying on plans designed byLeonardo da Vinci.
During theWar of the League of Cambrai against Venice, Gradisca was conquered by EmperorMaximilian I in 1511, and thenceforth it was aHabsburg possession ruled within theCounty of Gorizia as part of theInner Austrian lands. In 1615 a Venetian attempt to reconquer it initiated theWar of Gradisca. The town was however kept by the Imperial House of Habsburg; in 1647 EmperorFerdinand III made it the capital of an autonomous County of Gradisca and sold the territory to his confident John Anthony of Eggenberg. TheEggenberg dynasty, formally elevated toPrinces of the Holy Roman Empire in 1654, held Gradisca until 1717, enlarging and enriching it constantly as a princely residence.
With the extinction of the Eggenbergs, the county returned to the House of Habsburg, being re-united with the remaining County of Gorizia. The union resulted in the creation of the Princely County ofGorizia and Gradisca in 1754, which existed until the dissolution ofAustria-Hungary in 1918. The town remained in theCisleithanian side after theCompromise of 1867 as head of the district of the same name (GRADISCA), one of the 11Bezirkshauptmannschaften in theAustrian Littoral province.[5]
During Austrian domination, the town retained its predominantly Italian character. According to the last Austrian census of 1910, 60.0% of the population of the town spokeItalian orFriulian, 13.8% spokeSlovene, and a mere 2.3% spokeGerman as their first language.[6]
In 1914, at the outbreak ofWorld War I, the population of Gradisca fought underAustria-Hungary. In 1921 the town became part of Italy.
Castle, built by the Venetians in the late 15th century over a pre-existing fortress known from 1176. It was enlarged under the Austrian domination (16th-17th centuries), later being turned into a jail. Among the people imprisoned here wasFederico Confalonieri.
Cathedral
Church ofSanto Spirito, with an altarpiece byPompeo Randi.
