Aviano (Friulian: Davian; Cimbrian: Pleif) is a town and comune (municipality) in the Regional decentralization entity of Pordenone at the foot of the Dolomites mountain range in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, northeast Italy.

In the early Middle Ages Aviano was made up of parish churches and villages in correspondence with today's hamlets.

Around the 11th century, on a hill overlooking the surrounding plain, a castle was built by the Patriarchate of Aquileia and given to local feudal lords.

The castle was besieged several times, during the 14th century first by the Da Camino and then by the Carraresi, and in 1411 it was conquered by the Hungarian troops of Emperor Sigismund.

In 1477 and 1499 Aviano and the surrounding villages were devastated by raids of Ottoman troops in which a large part of the population was killed or taken prisoner.

[3][circular reference] Although the village is located at the foot of the Dolomites, the municipality extends to an altitude of 2,251 metres (7,385 feet) above sea level (Cimon del Cavallo peak).