Spilimbergo – The Town of Mosaic Experts

Some foreigners who visit Italy for vacation travel for days to get here. They arrive by car, by plane, by boat or by train. Luckily for me, Italy just happens to be my backyard. Don’t hate me!

Yes, I can take a quick day trip to Venice if I feel like it. I can head to the local "spaccio di vino" (wine cantina)  and pick up a bottle of wine for €3 - €5, whereas in the States I might pay $50 for that same bottle.

Everything you could ever dream about Italy is literally within arms reach!

I decided that I need to start using this more to my advantage.

Branching Out

Recently, I realized that I don’t have to travel down to Rome or Tuscany to see “Italy.” The things that some people plan to see during their Italian vacation could be on the road to my favorite pizzeria or the beautiful view that I gaze upon every day when I burst open the shutters.

In order to better appreciate and understand the region where I live, I decided to take a step back and look at Friuli from the tourist’s viewpoint again.

I’ve seen many of the local wonders already; things that are within 30 minutes from me. I decided to add an extra 10 minutes to that number and see what else I could find.

What a difference that short distance made!

Mosaic Here, Mosaic There

One Sunday afternoon, I grabbed the camera, convinced my husband that the rain would surely stop, hopped in the car and headed for Spilimbergo (central Friuli). I recently read about the mosaic school there and wanted to have a look around for myself.

When we arrived, the clouds seemed to be wringing out their last drops of rain, misting around us like a light fog. My umbrella assistant (a.k.a. husband) helped me keep the lens dry so I could snap away at the side streets and historical buildings as we strolled.

The local shop windows were dedicated to everything mosaic. Books concentrating on the colors suitable for mosaic work, famous mosaic pieces, story and theory. Local business signs were much more interesting with a mosaic design. Even the cobblestone streets in the center showcased the craftsmanship of mosaic artisans, each stone lain carefully to form an intricate pattern.

Unfortunately the Mosaic School that I wanted to visit was not open the day I went, so I made myself content with seeing the mosaic pieces sprinkled around the town center

Experts in Creating Mosaic Artwork

I researched the school a bit and was surprised to find out that it is the most famous in the world of its kind. Imagine that! Just a short drive away from where I live.

The roots of mosaic artists run deep into the Friuli soil, dating as far back as the 6th century. The school was founded in 1922, and since then has featured its pieces in numerous exhibits around the world. Former director of the school, Giulio Candussio, is the master behind the mosaic art piece dedicated to the city of New York in 2004, in memory of 9/11.

Wrapping Up a Lovely Afternoon

After sneaking in a few shots of the beautiful Spilimbergo castle, we stopped at a café to enjoy a delicious cup of hot chocolate and then headed back home.

Next time I’ll plan my visit in advance, so that I can stop in and see the mosaic school

See some of the beautiful mosaic work from the Friuli region here and follow our blog to learn more about the Friuli region!