Land of delightful traditions


With the rediscovery of the value of the environment, there is an increasingly frequent return to the desire to go for long walks, visit old villages and simply stroll through woods characterised by previously forgotten silences and scents… The whole Municipal territory is a clever and spontaneous combination of uncontaminated nature and historical vestiges.

The visitor can rediscover mediaeval suggestions near the castles of Cucagna, Zucco and Soffumbergo, admire the architectonic austerities of the mansions or simply spend time on the plateaux looking at minor churches and enjoying a calming landscape, a moment’s silence, far away from the hectic frenzy of everyday life. Faedis was also a highly strategic point, located as it was on the “via Cividina”, the main road which linked Gemona with Cividale (Forum Iulii). It made its offi cial entry into written history in 1027, when the Carinthian aristocrat Odorico of Auspergh, obtained from the Patriarch of Aquileia Popone, permission to build a castle (Cucagna Castle) right above Faedis. As time went by, the family spilt off into various branches: Partistagno, Valvasone and Zucco. A few centuries later, in 1248, a branch of the Cucagna family, which in the meantime had acquired prestige and importance in the scenario of feudal history in Friuli, also built the underlying Zucco Castle. The other part of the feud (comprising Campeglio, Raschiacco, Colloredo and Valle) was governed by the Schafemberg family(Soffumbergo), whose castle - of which there remain just a few ruins above the town of Campeglio - was also the summer residence of the patriarchs of Aquileia. After 1420, with the start of the rule of the Serenissima, all of these country houses were gradually abandoned.

Faedis has occupied a leading role during the dramatic and painful events of this century, fi rst succumbing to the impact and crudeness of the Great War and then taking a primary position in the Second World War and the fi ght for liberation. The period after the war, characterised by extensive emigration, fi rstly abroad and then, in the 60’s and 70’s towards the countries more industrialised areas, led to the abandon of agriculture, craftwork and movement away from the mountain villages…Today Faedis, having maintained its environmental peculiarities and handed down an art which, now more than ever before, is aimed at safeguarding the fl avours and traditions of the farming world, is the setting for an “ecological return”, the leitmotiv of which lies in the search for harmonious balance between the economic instances of the craft, winegrowing and alternative tourism sectors.

The castles are being recuperated and rebuilt and the local winegrowers have joined forces in an association (Association of producers of Refosco di Faedis) to enhance the value of the autochthonous wines. A rediscovery of the precious things contained in the combination of culture and territory is underway, a new horizon in which to set off on new journeys.