Born Roman, raised Longobard and elevated to the rank of city in the Frankish era, it was also for a long time seat of the Patriarchs of Aquileia. Cividale has played a primary role in the history of Friuli, if only because it gave it its original name, Forum Iulii. In 2011 as the seat of the first duchy, UNESCO recognized its importance as a starting point for discovering the Longobards in Italy, thanks to the extraordinary evidence preserved here. The National Archaeological Museum enhances the finds of the excavations of the necropolis and the ancient city. At the same time, the Christian Museum of the Duomo houses two works that are fundamental for appreciating early medieval art: the altar of Ratchis and the baptistery of Callisto. The large complex of the Monastery of Santa Maria in Valle includes perhaps the most famous gem, the so-called Longobard Temple. Recently, the cultural offer has expanded with the CIPS, an original exhibition of puppets and puppet theatres named after the Cividalese Vittorio Podrecca, and a precious art collection donated by the De Martiis family.