L'Italo-Americano

www.italoamericano.org 8 THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2025 L'Italo-Americano ALL AROUND ITALY TRAVEL TIPS DESTINATIONS PEOPLE ACTIVITIES program, teaching everything from mosaic and terrazzo techniques, design and color theory, to computer graphics and art history. Cultural events, tradi- tions, and good food in Spilimbergo If you're thinking of visit- ing, rest assured that Spilim- bergo's cultural calendar is rich with events of all kinds, especially those that connect the town with its heritage and traditions. The Rievocazio- n e d e l l a M a c i a , f o r instance, is a historical reen- actment that commemorates the town's medieval past, during which locals dress in p e r i o d c u s t o m s a n d t h e streets are filled with mar- k e t s , p e r f o r m a n c e s , a n d parades. The Rievocazione is perfect if you enjoy fun mixed with a bit of historical learn- ing and, of course, good food and entertainment. Speaking of food, no visit t o S p i l i m b e r g o w o u l d b e complete without indulging in its local cuisine, which features plenty of traditional Friulian dishes. Among them, f r i c o , primarily made of cheese and, in some varia- Spilimbergo. Their vision was to provide educational and employment opportunities in the post-World War I era, capitalizing on the region's deep-rooted mosaic and ter- razzo heritage. Strategically located near A q u i l e i a — renowned for its Roman and early Christian mosaics — and Venice — known for its Byzantine mosaic tradition — the school drew upon both influences. It also built on the legacy of Friulian mosaicists and terrazzo workers who, since the 16th century, had made significant contribu- tions worldwide, from the Library of Congress in Wash- ington to the War Memorial in Canberra. Throughout its history, the Scuola Mosaicisti del Friuli has undertaken other prestigious projects, including mosaics at Rome's Foro Italico in the 1930s and contributions to hydroelectric p l a n t s i n t h e 1 9 5 0 s . T h e school continues to be a hub for mosaic art and still blends historical techniques with contemporary innovation. At the heart of the didactic jour- ney offered to students is a comprehensive three-year tions, potatoes and onions, is perhaps the most famous. There are two main versions of it: soft frico, which looks like a thick pancake made by c o o k i n g c h e e s e , t y p i c a l l y Montasio, with potatoes and onions until the exterior is golden and crispy, while the interior is soft and creamy; and crispy frico, a thinner variant consisting solely of cheese fried until it becomes crisp, often used as a garnish or appetizer. Historically, frico was a peasant dish cre- ated to use leftover cheese rinds, with the first recorded recipe dating back to around 1450 by Maestro Martino, a c o o k f o r t h e P a t r i a r c h o f Aquileia. Another famous l o c a l d i s h i s c j a l s o n s , stuffed pasta dumplings filled with ingredients like raisins, dark chocolate, cinnamon, spinach, ricotta, and herbs. Traditionally, they were only prepared for festive occa- sions, but they experienced a revival in the 1970s, thanks to Carnic chef Gianni Cosetti, who reintroduced them to modern cuisine and made them more of a local culinary staple. and a presbytery, elevated to accommodate the underlying crypt. Among its treasures, we find a majestic Renais- sance-style organ, with its casing decorated by Il Porde- none in 1525. The castle complex N e a r t h e c a t h e d r a l , perched on the edge of the Tagliamento River, is the Castello di Spilimbergo. The earliest records of the Castrum de Spengenberg date back to 1120, but that b u i l d i n g w a s e v e n t u a l l y burnt down by an unfortu- nate fire in 1511. It was subse- quently rebuilt in Renais- sance style. Within its walls lie the Palazzo Dipinto and Palazzo Tadea, the latter completed in 1566 by Tadea, widow of Count Bernardino. The mosaic capital of Italy Spilimbergo is especially known for its rich mosaic tradition, epitomized by the S c u o l a M o s a i c i s t i d e l Friuli, established in 1922. The school was created by Lodovico Zanini, the Friuli delegate of the Società Uma- nitaria in Milan, and Ezio Cantarutti, then mayor of S pilimbergo is a small town sitting along the banks of the Tagliamento R i v e r , i n F r i u l i Venezia Giulia. Known as Italy's City of Mosaics, it has recently earned the dis- tinction of being one of the country's Borghi più Belli d'I- talia, an accolade bestowed o n v i l l a g e s a n d h a m l e t s around Italy that manage to preserve and valorize their history and traditions, while also focusing on key contem- porary concepts like sustain- ability, ecology, and accessi- bility. S p i l i m b e r g o a n d i t s history The town's origins go back to the Middle Ages when it emerged as a vital center for t r a d e a n d c o m m e r c e . I t s strategic location made it a lively trade hub that support- ed both economic growth and cultural exchange. The heart of Spilimbergo is Corso Roma, a thorough- fare lined with multicolored h i s t o r i c b u i l d i n g s . A s w e stroll along this street, the evolution of architectural styles becomes evident, with each façade telling a fragment of its own story. At the west- ern end stands the Torre Occidentale, built in the 1 4 t h c e n t u r y , w h i c h o n c e served as the entrance to the Borgo Nuovo, enclosed by the now-lost third city wall. C o n t i n u i n g e a s t w a r d , w e encounter Palazzo Mona- co and then arrive at Piazza Garibaldi, the town's central square. Piazza Garibaldi has long been the focal point of civic life and is surrounded by notable buildings such as the Church of San Giuseppe and Pantaleone, which houses a beautiful wooden choir, and the Church of San Giovanni. Further along Corso Roma lies the Torre Orientale, part of the second city wall; adjacent to it is the Casa Dipinta, or Painted House, adorned with 16th-century frescoes showing scenes from the life of Hercules. The journey culminates at Piazza Duomo, dominated by the Cathedral of Santa M a r i a M a g g i o r e . C o n - structed between the 13th and 14th centuries, its façade is known for its seven rose windows — a unique feature in Friuli. Inside, the cathedral boasts a three-nave layout with a wooden truss ceiling CHIARA D'ALESSIO Discovering Spilimbergo, the mosaic heart of Italy Spilimbergo, the church of San Giovanni dei Battuti (Photo: Alberto Masnovo/Dreamstime) and, bottom right, a Renaissance style building in town (Photo: Giuseppe di Paolo/Dreamstime)

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