Roman River Port of Aquileia

The Via Sacra, built in ancient Rome, begins behind the basilica. It is lined with ancient cypress trees and runs along the remains of the old internal port of Aquileia, on the banks of the Natissa river.

Today the river has little water, but once its flow was much more abundant; in those times, boats could sail from Gradus (now Grado) and the Adriatic Sea up to here, at the gates of the hamlet of Monastero.

The Via Sacra was built in Roman times and still contains many foundations of Roman buildings along the former inland port.

The Via Sacra begins behind the basilica, is lined with ancient cypresses and leads along the remains of the old port of Aquileia, which lay on the banks of the river Natissa, once was rich in water and after 8 miles Gradus (now Grado) and the Adriatic Sea reached and ended at the gates of the village of Monastero.