Udine

Udine (ancient Utina), city, northeastern Italy, capital of Udine Province, in Friuli-Venezia Giulia Region. It is a marketing center for agricultural products and an industrial city with factories producing machinery, aluminum, textiles, and leather goods. Udine has been called the city of Tiepolo, because so many of the works of that artist are collected here, particularly in the archbishop's palace. The city has a university.

In the Middle Ages, Udine became the seat of the patriarchs of Aquileia, who developed the town into a trading center. In 1420 it came under Venetian rule. It was ceded to Austria in 1797 and regained by Italy in 1866. During World War I, it was the general headquarters of the Italian army, but in 1917 it fell to the Austrians, who occupied it until November 1918. The city suffered heavy damage in World War II. Population (2007 estimate) 96,750.