Premariacco: History, Art and the Natisone

Premariacco offers a range of starting points for planning a trip: medieval architecture, wartime history, outdoor art, wine-making tradition and the landscape of the Natisone. If you are looking for hotels in Premariacco, these themes can help you decide which aspects of the town are of particular interest for your stay.

Historic Sites and Architectural History

The medieval Centa di San Silvestro was situated around the former church of San Silvestro in Premariacco. Its square tower dates from around 1100 and was converted into a bell tower in the 17th century. The building thus brings together a medieval origin and a later ecclesiastical use. From the Centa grounds, a path lined by two walls leads close to the Natisone. If you plan to take this path, check the conditions on site before basing your plans on it.

The Campo PG57 prisoner-of-war camp operated in Premariacco from 1941 to 1943. The surviving chapel was built by the Allied soldiers held there and restored in the 1990s by the Associazione nazionale genieri e trasmettitori d'Italia (Anget). The camp’s history therefore includes both its period of operation and the chapel’s construction and later restoration. During the Second World War, more than 4,000 New Zealand and Australian soldiers were also held in the Grupignano/San Mauro area of Premariacco; most had been captured in Africa. This adds another dimension to the area’s wartime history.

Outdoor Art and Wine-Making Tradition

Parco Sculture Braida Copetti is located in Leproso di Premariacco and is a 15,000 m² open-air museum. Its designation as an open-air museum gives the town’s art a different focus from the architectural history of the Centa di San Silvestro or the villa-castle Rocca Bernarda. The size refers to the park’s area; its focus on art can thus be distinguished from the historic buildings.

The villa-castle Rocca Bernarda was built in 1567 by Jacopo and Bernardo di Valvason Maniago. Rocca Bernarda has produced wine in Premariacco since 1559 and has long been a point of reference for Picolit, a rare meditation wine from the Colli Orientali. The dates refer to different aspects: 1559 marks the start of wine production, while 1567 is the year the villa-castle was built. Looking at the site through the lens of its history, you can distinguish its architectural history from its wine-making tradition without losing sight of their specific connection to Rocca Bernarda.

The Natisone: Gorge, Views and Nature

The section of the Natisone in question extends into the landscape of Premariacco and Firmano. There, the gorge has cut into ancient alluvial deposits. Water erosion has formed potholes and rock shelters. The landscape thus also tells the story of the geological forces that shaped it. This offers a different focus for weighing up your interests than the history of churches, camps and buildings.

In the non-urbanized and non-intensively farmed countryside around the Natisone gorge near Premariacco, there are stable areas of dry grassland on nutrient-poor alluvial soils. Their flora is rich in species and includes many orchids. These habitats are found in the wider area around the gorge and complement the geological perspective with distinctive plant life.

The Roman bridge near Premariacco is one of the most easily accessible viewpoints over the Natisone. There are also numerous footpaths down to the river along the gorge. They can be reached via side roads off the SS54 and via the road between Carraria and San Quirino. Check access details on site before planning your visit.

Discover more destinations: Orsaria, Stregna, Enemonzo, Caporiacco, Collina, Precenicco, Palazzolo Dello Stella, Cavazzo Carnico.

For the broader travel overview: Udine.