San Giorgio della Richinvelda, land of the "wine
roots"
The Municipality of S. Giorgio of the Richinvelda (about 48 kmq - about 100 metres of height) is situated between the Tagliamento river and Meduna torrent. It has about 4.500 inhabitants, divided between the municipality centre and the fractions of Provesano, Cosa, Pozzo, Aurava, Rauscedo and Domanins.
The Parish of S. Giorgio (also called Parish of Cosa) seems to have been one of the first Bishopric of Concordia although it is recorded in official documents only from the end of the 10th Century. At that time, the Parish extended far beyond the borders of the current territory of the municipality that also included Gradisca, S. Martino al Tagliamento, Valvasone and, across the river, Grions, Turrida, Redenzicco and Rivis. After the incursion of the Hungarians (at the end of the 10th Century), the Parish of S. Giorgio was entrusted to the Eppensteins and, subsequently, to the lords of Spilimbergo and Valvasone who divided the territory. On the territory, with the exception of the feudal jurisdiction, there were in use some forms of local self-government such as the custom of the head of the families to gather in order to take decisions or administer justice (the term Richinvelda should actually derive from the place on which such reunions took place). On the other hand, this place is remembered for a dramatic episode of blood whose historical importance had influenced the existence itself of that which by that time was the “Homeland of Friuli”. On June the 6th 1350, found his death by the snare of some conspirators, the over-ninety year-old patriarch Bertrando of S. Genies (of Aquileia), who was the defender and the reorganiser of the entire Friuli and was later on beatified. Even today, a memorial, built at the end of the 19th century on the place of the ambush, celebrates the vigorous character of this man of Church and arms.
Near the above mentioned place, there is the little church of S. Nicolò in which is preserved a painted stone triptych by Giovanni Antonio Pilacorte. The subsequent historical events are similar to other areas of Friuli: with the end of the Patriarchy, the domination of Venice (called “la Serenissima”), the Napoleonic downward path (with the administrative re-setting of the territory and the birth of the municipality of S. Giorgio) and the Austrian domination (with the promotion of some public works of primary importance among which the construction of the river bank on the Meduna torrent). In 1871, by the birth of the Kingdom of Italy, the municipality found its current borders.
The development of the territory, however, began after World War II and was favoured and anticipated by some forms of spontaneous aggregations (social dairies, oven, Rural and Artisan Bank, Agrarian Syndicate) promoted by the far-seeing action of some local “donors”. Of primary importance is agriculture, with farming, various cultures and, a show-piece: the nursery compartment – known in the whole world – for the production of rooted cuttings. In this sector, in Rauscedo, there is an experimental Centre for the clone selection of grapes with the production of many original clones.
The top artistic expressions on the territory, are preserved in all the
churches and, in particular, in the church of Provesano, dedicated to S.
Leonardo that contains frescoes by Gianfrancesco da Tolmezzo and by Pietro
di S. Vito. The Spilimbergo-Spanio Villa of Domanins, built around the first
half of the 5th Century, contains frescoes of the Venetians Giuseppe Borsato
and Giovanbattista Canal, a portrait of Taddea of Spilimbergo by Fisher
and three canvas by Jacopo d’Andrea. In Pozzo you can visit the Museum
of Peasant Civilization that contains the traditional objects of daily life
and agricultural work. The Museum is open on the first and the third Sundays
of every month and is present on the web site www.richinvelda.it.