Cervignano del Friuli is historically linked to Aquileia. Its name probably derives from Gens Serviliana, the Roman family to which the territory was assigned. In 452 it was destroyed by the Huns, subsequently suffering numerous barbarian raids. In 568, with the arrival of the Lombards, the Abbey of St. Michael the Archangel arose, later devastated in the 10th century.
Thanks to the Benedictine nuns of Aquileia, the marshy territory was reclaimed and repopulated. In the following centuries, Cervignano came under Venetian, Austrian, and Napoleonic rule until it was annexed to the Kingdom of Italy in 1915. Today the town retains its important historical and cultural role.
