The spontaneous architecture in the middle of the mountains
A view on the historical square of Poffabro and its mountains during the #italiagrandsketchingtour.
Next stop in the tour is another small town in the mountains of Friuli: Poffabro. Arriving at the top of the hill you find a small town center with the church and some historical building. All around, the spontaneous architecture in stone and wood, intertwining with the voices of the woods and the murmur of the waters, constitutes the charm of Poffabro. The characteristic houses in sandstone and wood distributed in long rows or in the locks, with beautiful courtyards, differ little from those of the sixteenth or seventeenth centuries, when the village developed mainly. But the village existed already in Roman times, as a stop on the road that passed from Julia Concordia to the Alps. And through the century Poffabro developed as a unique human work, embedded in the intact and silent nature of the Friuli foothills.Â
This landscape, with its simplicity, reveals an ancient, forgotten humanity: the humble country roads, the mule tracks, the mountain paths, the stables, the refuges, the water troughs, the wells and all the works that once documented the fatigue of men at the edge of the forest. It It was a real surprise in its singularity, and I understand why its rural architecture, with the stone houses and wooden balconies, it is include in the list of the most beautiful villages in Italy.
In this out of time atmosphere, I sat on a bench shortly to sketch the square, looking constantly at the sky to be able to get away before the storm. Fortunately I had enough time to finish the sketch and get back to the valley before the rain arrived, and I managed to continue my trip toward Maniago on a dry road. But I believe rain will be my companion in the next few days.
Title of the painting ‘View on the historical square of Poffabro’
This is a painting from the Italia Grand Sketching Tour Collection, a series of original ink and watercolor paintings done on location during my tour to discovery the marvelous Italian heritage. The painting is also featured in the book about my motorbike.
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