The district of Socchieve

Socchieve is a district of Carnia. The district's territory stretches on the two banks of the Alto Tagliamento and the lower Lumiei, from beyond the Pani saddle towards North until the Vacalda mount and Tamarus mount to the south, and from the Filuvigna stream from east until the Najarda's saddle on the west. The district is compose by 8 villages: Socchieve, Nonta, Mediis, Priuso, Lungis, Dilignidis, Feltrone e Viaso. All of these towns, except for Priuso, are distributed on the bank or on the slopes of the Tagliamento river and the Lumiei river.

Socchieve is one of the most antique village of Carnia, in its name comes from the Latin: “sub clivo”, indicates the position of the built­up area, bellow the conglomerate terrace on which is built the church of Castoia. Also, in 1877, on the same terrace, remains of the XII century a.C. were found, currently expose at the Archaeological Museum of Zuglio, and in the last 15 years there has been new excavation that testify the presences of man already in the I century b.C.

Currently Socchieve holds one of the most important woodland heritage of Carnia and a difference of altitudes that goes from the 400 meters to 2077 meters from the sea level, it offers a rich natural system that goes up from the valley floor at the bank of the Alto Tagliamento to the top of the mountains, including the amazing Col Gentile. The small towns of the district, also, stretches on the slope facing the sun, benefits of a particularly mild weather that guarantees a luxuriant growth of all the plants species. Finally from 2009, with the recognition of the Friulan Dolomites district and of Oltre Pivave, territory that also belongs to de district of Socchieve, you can in fact say that this territory contains "superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance" (7 reason, we found that the most suitably way for describing this place, is using the words from a poetess from Priuso, Lucina Dorigo, with her poem called Life (Vita), first prize at Gjiso Fior contest in the year 2002.

Life (translated from the Italian version)

My life would be as a dry leaf
clinging to the tree trunk
but slowly
slacking off of it
My time lives at autumn

it feeds off dew
and the perfume
that the mountain's air
carries off the way
from the last flowers
From this small place
let me go

so lightly
like in the morning
dissipating on the sky
the beautiful star.
Still you will remember me,
Far away
in the silence.

Parish church of Castoia

The church of Santa Maria Annunziata, already Parish of Santa Maria dell'Angelo, built on the hill of Castoia arround the IX­X centuries, dominates the view of Socchieve and can be admire from every town. One of the most antique parishes of Carnia, is the seventh stage of the Way of Parishes, with its three naves and the lonely bell tower and the ancient cementery, rapresents, allong with the little church of San Martino, one of the most fascinating tour of Socchieve's district.