Castelli Aperti: discovering Brunelde house in Fagagna

Slow Tour

26 September 2018

Slow Tour

Castelli Aperti: discovering Brunelde house in Fagagna

It is impossible not to notice it when coming down the hill from Fagagna Castle (UD) in a northerly direction. A beautiful house surrounded by greenery dominates the scene. It is Brunelde, also known as Casa Forte. Today, with its centuries-old history, the building is still the home of the noble d’Arcano Grattoni family and stands in a place that has been known and frequented since Roman times. The ancient “via del sale” (salt route), connecting Concordia Sagittaria to Salzburg, passed through here.

We are at the beginning of the beautiful SP 83 main road (also known as the “Quattro Venti” - four winds road). I love this area very much because it is quiet and far from traffic, and therefore ideal for walks or bike rides.
I am always impressed by the beauty of this house every time I pass by here, and even though I have dozens of photos, I still take photos of it. I have always wondered what it is like inside, so I didn’t want to miss the right opportunity to visit it on the occasion of the “Castelli Aperti” (castles open to the public) initiative.

It was like a journey back in time for me. Accompanied by the owners of the house, Maurizio and Cristina, the Counts d'Arcano Grattoni, I was finally able to admire the beautiful interior of the house, steeped in history and culture. It was really fascinating listening to stories about the family directly from the descendants of the protagonists, events that were lost over the centuries, from the time of the Lombards up to the present day. Stories of ghosts and beheadings, a combination of legend and history.
The rooms, including the kitchen, living room, the music corner (with some ancient musical instruments such as a flute and violin) and the amazing library with some very old and precious books, are very well-kept and crammed with furniture and objects of all periods. Gripped by enthusiasm, I take photos of everything, arousing the curiosity of the young owner, who is accompanying his parents and who looks at me perplexed, as if to say: "But what do you find so beautiful to take photos of in my house?"

On the ground floor, there was once an area used as a prison. The owners of the estate also had the task of exercising justice for the nobles of that time, with the power to execute corporal punishment, even death, which could be by hanging, decapitation or, in more series cases, quartering.
Some anecdotes are told about historical artefacts, dating back to more than two thousand years ago and to the time of the Crusades. For example, a fragment of the cross on which Jesus died, and a piece of linen soiled with blood, which appeared in a communion host that Maurizio d'Arcano broke in 1758. After that event, convinced that it was a message from the Lord, the family ancestor was so impressed that he started studying to become a priest, even though, up till then, he had had a life that was anything but monastic. Both artefacts are carefully guarded in the family chapel dedicated to Saint Nicholas. The small church is part of the historical complex, and many members of the noble family are laid to rest there.

The house is well-protected by the ghost of Marco, who was killed by the Venetians, by decapitation, because he opposed occupation of Brunelde house by the Serenissima Republic of Venice. It is said that he wanders around the house with his head under his arm, ready to defend Brunelde and its family. I believe it and I don’t want to have any proof of it, so I will avoid walking around this place in the moonlight...
In short, here you can experience history, culture and legends, as well as the atmosphere of daily life. Every corner of the house is alive because the d'Arcano Grattoni family still live there. Maurizio and Cristina will be happy to tell you about their history and that of Brunelde. I believe that when visiting Brunelde, we can say that we are “guests of unique people.” The right opportunity to visit Brunelde could be at the next edition of “Castelli Aperti”.
Enjoy your trip through time!