Brda is the name of the Slovene part of a natural region that stretches into Italy, too, where it is known as “Collio”.
Collio is also a region where excellent wines are produced and that is also worth of a visit.
Today we’re introducing you a small town in Collio:
Corno di Rosazzo.
What for a weird name!
Yes, it is.
Corno di Rosazzo is a weird name for Italian speaking people, too. It must stem from the name of the creek that flows there, which is called “Corno” (meaning “horn”), probably because of the crooked form of its bed.
“Rosazzo” originates from the word for “rose” (“rosa”), that’s why the municipality’s coat of arms shows a horn of plenty full of roses.
5 things to see in Corno di Rosazzo
Althought it’s a small settlement (3.300 inhabitants), Corno di Rosazzo offers more than a few interesting attractions to those who visit it.
- Castle of Gramogliano
Named after the family who first owned it, it was built in the XIII century. Since the County of Gorizia and the Patriarchs of Aquileia had been competing for the whole region for two centuries, the castle changed owners many times and suffered several assaults, due to which we nowadays can see only one tower, out of the five ones tha castle originally had.
- Abbey of Rosazzo
It was built in the IX century but, as for other building in the area, it has been assaulted many times. The abbey also lies in a strategic position for military purposes, too, so it was never spared by the town’s assailants. It was deeply restored in the middle of the Nineties and now it can be visited by faithfuls as well as tourists.
- Villa Torriani
It is another building date back to the XIII century, even if not much of that period is still present in nowadays edifice. The balaustrate of the well in the court is one of the original element of the housing.
- Villa Nachini-Cabassi
Are you a winelover? Well, if you weren’t, you’d probably won’t be reading this website, so, here’s the place in Corno di Rosazzo you’ll like the most. This house was built in the XVIII century and now is where the headquarters of the “Consorzio vinicolo dei Colli Orientali” is. It’s the consortium of winemakers of the region Collio, and in Villa Nachini-Cabassi you can also find a wine shop with local products.
- Stele di Visinale
Visinale is a suburb of Corno di Rosazzo and it is famous because it is told to be the place where the Italian first shot in the First World War was shooted. Obviously, it’s impossible to determine whether it’s true or false, because Italy faced Austria on a six-and-more hundred kilometres long border, but it’s pretty sure that here, on the night between the 23rd and the 24th of May 1915 (Italy entered the war later), two Italian soldiers shooted against some Austrian soldiers who were trying to mine a the bridge.
Save the date
From May the 8th to the 12th the 46th local Wine Fair is going to take place in Corno di Rosazzo.
We are going to talk about this event again.
Ok, where the hell is it?
You are now willing to visit Corno di Rosazzo, aren’t you?
It’s in Northern Italy, in the region named Friuli-Venezia Giulia, more or less 25 kilometres east of Udine.
It is also close to the border with Slovenia, so it’s a good place to start your tour in Brda.
