A visit to Castelmonte

DAY 19***

We took the opportunity on St Stephen's Day (Boxing Day) to visit family in Conoglano, about an hour away from Tarvisio. From there it is only a local trip to the Santuary of the Blessed Virgin at Castelmonte, in Cividale.

Cassaco, Conoglano, Cividale, Treppo Grande, Vendoglio - this is truly home turf - these sights would have been regular viewing by DW's parents when they were growing up in the area.

This scene above is a view from the rear of the Aunt's farm, looking up towards the mountains where Tarvisio is located.
















A short car trip to Cividale took us to the Santuario di Madonna Di Monte in the Natisone Valley. Here for at least 1500 years, it is said that Castelmonte has been a fortress and sanctuary. It is the oldest in Friuli and one of the first Christian churches. Its true origins are still cloudy although ancient pavements discovered in the 1960's would lend support to the old tradition of a site here in the fifth century. Go see castelmonte here.

Castelmonte is also the church where one of our family from Australia chose to get married, so there was that association too.

DW's mother had asked us to deliver her renewal of subscription to the monthly magazine known by its recipients as il bollettino. 

Here she is after completing said task, to prove that the deed in fact had been done!

Being the feast day of St Stephen, we all took the opportunity to attend 11am Mass which was the third of the morning, and packed as full as the previous 2 services. In Italy, Christmas is always spent with family and very few people venture out of their homes (except for attending Christmas services). St Stephen's Day proved to be the opposite - the site was packed with both locals and tourists!

After returning to Conoglano, we spent the afternoon with family and again, a good time was had by all!