Pinzano al Tagliamento

Pinzano al Tagliamento is located in the foothills of Western Friuli, in the Media Val Tagliamento and borders on two of the most beautiful and significant valleys of the high Pordenone: to the west by the Val Cosa famous for its Pink Onion, Slow Food Presidency and the northeast with the Val d’Arzino, of particular naturalistic and natural beauty thanks to its crystal clear waterfalls, bathing waters and untouched forests.
The municipality has about 1549 inhabitants and is 43 km from Pordenone and 32 km from Udine. Moreover, its geographical position, of strategic importance in the past, today represents a great tourist value for those who come to or want to reach Austria (only 90 km) and Slovenia (only 60 km). In the immediate vicinity you can also visit the medieval village of Spilimbergo (10 km) famous for the Mosaic Schools of Friuli or the medieval village of San Daniele del Friuli, just 9 km, known all over the world for the prestigious San Daniele Prosciutto . At only 22 km, there is another important town: Maniago with its historic Coltellerie is the emblem of Friulian fabric.

The territory includes 10 villages: Valeriano, Borgo Ampiano, Borgo Mizzari, Manazzons, Pradaldon, Campeis, Cja Ronc, Colle, Pontaiba and Costabeorchia.

Numerous archaeological finds confirm the human presence at Pinzano al Tagliamento from the prehistoric age. An example of all is the bronze age finds in Pontaiba, including a flint arrow in Lestans, the archaeological museum of villa Savorgnan. Later, around the middle of the first millennium BC they began to settle the Celts, who in turn underwent the Roman conquest.

The toponyms Pinzano, Valeriano and most probably also Ampiano are of prime Latin origin, or indicate the name of the Roman colonists to whom these villages with their agricultural land were granted.

Following the decline of the Roman Empire, Friuli suffered numerous barbarian invasions until the conquest of the Longobards, who settled permanently and made Cividale the capital of the Ducato of Friuli. At the fall of the latter the region became the first Marca of the Holy Roman Empire, then Patria of Friuli under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Aquileia. It is precisely at this time that the oldest document appears in which a gentleman of Pinzano appears: in 1134 the notable in question is Ermanno di Pinzano (Herman de Pinzano). The Lords of Pinzano are counted among the “free feudators”, ie those who possess sufficient importance and autonomy to be directly invested by imperial authority. Between 1352 and 1354 the castle passed to the family of the Savorgnan, one of the richest and most influential of Friuli, who subsequently acquired possession of the property of the Pinzanese jurisdiction and installed in Pinzano the jurisdictional office of his fief. The initial loyalty to Patriarch of Francesco Savorgnan was transformed in a few decades into an orientation of family relations towards Venice, which at that time was increasing its political and military importance. In 1420 Venice invaded Friuli, ending the Patriarchate of Aquileia and establishing a domain that would only end in 1797.

Medieval works of Pinzano al Tagliamento and its hamlets are still numerous and can be admired in the churches and on the streets of the country.

After the brilliant Venetian period, the Friuli changed several domination and Pinzano’s hold also passed Napoleon, an episode that was celebrated by a commemorative column called “Napoleonic”, set at Valeriano. In the nineteenth century, living conditions were poor, and the livelihood economy, which was founded almost exclusively on agriculture, was not enough to support the Pinzanese families. Many had to emigrate abroad. The situation improved in the early twentieth century with the construction of the bridge and then the Casarsa-Gemona railway.

Pinzano was strongly involved in both world wars. And after the Second World War, another dramatic event kneeled the country: the earthquake of 1976. The May blast made 14 deaths in the commune and ran 77 houses on the ground. Ten years after reconstruction had already been completed, leading to significant changes in the appearance of the countries and especially of the capital’s square.

Pinzano al Tagliamento and Ronco Margherita are strongly linked to the Friulian tradition of Barbatella cultivation, since in the one that is the present place of our company, we started the wine business Ruggero Forti, chairman for 25 years of the Rauscedo Cooperative Vivai.