Our river, Natisone river, made the history of Cividale and it is the reason why the Romans decided to build our city right here. In fact the river allowed them to reach the proximities of the city of Aquileia and of course the sea. The river links us to different people and territories, and it is on this river that a unique character lived and composed poetry.

OLIVIERO PELCI, known in the city by the name “OLIVO the poet” was a free soul who lived on the banks of the river. He lived in a hut he made himself and used parts of an old war airplane to sail the river.

But the most remembered part is that he would compose a poem a day and he would write it on the sand so that it could be read by the Devil’s bridge. Overnight the water would then erase the poem so that Olivo would have a clean slate for the next day. This is one of his poems:

“To you, there you stand,

looking at this beauty

I salute you , please accept it,

it is not a grand gesture

do not bow or kiss hands

but I send you my breezes and a

Friulian greeting.”

This poem is a welcoming greeting for the travellers who would stand on the Devil’s bridge and gaze at the beautiful view of the river Natisone, the mountains and the city.