18

km

12

stops

30'

duration

Itinerary 3 is the shortest route in the Paîs di Rustic Amour proposition, spanning about 20 kilometres and connecting Itineraries 1 and 2. This route traverses three towns—Spilimbergo, San Giorgio della Richinvelda, and San Martino al Tagliamento—flanked by the formidable Tagliamento and Meduna rivers, known for their torrential nature. The route's most notable feature is its system of irrigation ditches, which has historically driven the area's development. These man-made waterways, built in the late Middle Ages, not only powered the mills of various villages but also became catalysts for community growth. The intricate network of waterways also led to substantial changes in farming. Indeed, in the 19th century, pioneering innovators like the Pecile family introduced ground-breaking farming methods. This momentum carried into the 20th century, culminating in the exemplary cooperatives of San Giorgio and Rauscedo, which have managed the entire wine-growing and making process from the production of grafted vine plants to finished wines. The route also boasts an interesting history. The Richinvelda area is notable as the site where Bertrando, the esteemed Patriarch of Friuli, met his demise during feudal conflicts on 6 June 1350. The itinerary ends near the old ford—a crossing that once provided passage from San Martino to Rivis di Sedegliano on the opposite bank.

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Route Track
The disappeared forest - Itinerary 3 departure

The disappeared forest - Itinerary 3 departure

Human action modifies the territory

Agricultural colonization has developed in recent centuries on land that was originally forested (as evidenced by the toponym Roncs, deforestation, which identifies the nearby area), giving rise to scattered farmhouses and small rural blocks of flats.

Ford on the Cosa in Barbeano

Ford on the Cosa in Barbeano

When life revolves around water

From the old town centre of Barbeano, two main roads extend eastward toward the Cosa stream. Via Spilimbergo starts from the widening above the church, while Via Cosa—just a short distance away—passes below it. The former was the historical route to Spilimbergo, while the latter led to Gradisca and the Tagliamento ford. Both roads crossed the Cosa stream, serving as vital links that connected Barbeano to important trade routes.

Church of St. Anthony Abbot in Barbeano

Church of St. Anthony Abbot in Barbeano

A half-hearted last judgement

The exterior of the building reflects renovations carried out in the 20th century. However, inside, the apse is adorned with well-preserved frescoes by Gianfrancesco da Tolmezzo. Prominent in the center are the Nativity and the Adoration of the Magi, while the Last Judgement is depicted on the left. Under the watchful eye of Christ and the heralding angelic trumpets, the Elect enter Paradise. Over the years, though, the depictions of the damned have gradually faded.

Reorganized great prairies

Reorganized great prairies

The ancient streets in the middle of the greenery

Just outside Barbeano, the prairie landscape was the norm in the period of the ancien regime. The topographer depicted the few cultivated and private lands as islands within a large green environment.

Church of San Nicolò (also known as Del beato Bertrando)

Church of San Nicolò (also known as Del beato Bertrando)

Patriarch Bertrando's last breath

The small church, dating back to the 12th century, is well-known in Friuli for the murder of Bertrando of Saint-Geniès, who was ambushed by noble conspirators in 1350. Women would rub their handkerchiefs on the blood-stained stone to keep as relic. On the lawn outside the church, a memorial column still commemorates the crime. The church features a precious stone altar (once beautifully painted) by Lombard sculptor Pilacorte in 1497.

San Martino al Tagliamento: Three villages side by side

San Martino al Tagliamento: Three villages side by side

Settlement of Roman origin

The area was certainly already inhabited in Roman times: in fact, many archaeological finds have been discovered. In medieval times the center of the village, where the parish church stands, was protected by a centa or curtain, a defense structure typical of rural Friulian villages of the Middle Ages

St. Martin's Church

St. Martin's Church

Il Pordenone’s giant

The current building dates back to the 19th century, though the original structure is from the 11th or 12th century. The most significant period was the 16th century when notable artists were commissioned to decorate the church when it was expanded. Among them were Il Pordenone, who created the Saint Christopher, Pomponio Amalteo, stone sculptors from Meduno, and a wood sculptor from the school of Domenico da Tolmezzo. This resulted in a remarkable concentration of artistic work.

The canal and the mill in Postoncicco

The canal and the mill in Postoncicco

A fourteenth-century mill

Nowadays the structure, which is spread over three floors, appears to have been much remodelled, but in reality the building is of very ancient origins. The equipment with the stone grinding wheel is preserved inside; Canals, locks and a 36-bladed wheel are visible on the watercourse. For its operation it exploited the water of the so-called "mill canal", which originates in the municipality of Castelnovo del Friuli and descends through Tauriano, Provesano, Postoncicco, Valvasone and beyond.

Church of Saints Philip and James

Church of Saints Philip and James

Dedicated to Saint James, but which one?

Restoration work carried out in the 1980s uncovered a true gem of Friulian art. The oldest frescoes on the side walls of the hall, created by unknown artists, date back to the late 14th century. Pietro da San Vito painted the apse in the early 16th century, while Bellunello contributed to a half-hidden niche in the late 15th century. Nearby, ancient burials reveal the history of the people who lived here.

Church of St. Oswald in San Martino

Church of St. Oswald in San Martino

A church for masters and sharecroppers

Built to a design by Pietro Novelli from Lombardy in the second half of the 17th century, this small private place of worship was consecrated in 1684 to serve the landowners and farmers working their land. It was commissioned by Gian Domenico Partenio, a priest and composer who led the ducal chapel choir of St. Mark's Basilica in Venice. Interestingly, the small bell gable is located at the back rather than on the façade.

Villa Partenio (currently Tenuta Pinni)

Villa Partenio (currently Tenuta Pinni)

A Lombard villa on Venetian soil

The country villa was named after the Partenio family, descendants of the famous 16th-century humanist Bernardino. Built by workers from Lombardy between 1667 and 1690, it features a distinctive design that sets it apart from traditional Venetian villas. The three-story central building, which served as a residence, is flanked by two symmetrical relatively short barchesse – typical rural service buildings of the architecture of Venetian villas – featuring characteristic double-height porticoes.

Rivis FordI - Itinerary 3 arrival

Rivis FordI - Itinerary 3 arrival

The bond between two communities

It is the ford that once led to Rivis, on the left bank, in the municipality of Sedegliano, with which relations were very close and frequent. In this context, the ford acted almost as an umbilical cord, which bound two communities separated by water but united by a common history

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