Toppo, the hamlet of the farms

Not to be missed

Before the 16th-century residence, the local lords lived in a castle, the one that can be seen above the hamlet of Pino. The structure, though crumbling, still retains an austere and solid appearance, and through its arched gate and loopholes it continues to watchfully peer out over the surrounding landscape. It has served its defensive function so well that inside, during the 2012 restorations, archaeological excavations uncovered evidence of the existence of a very rare example of a clandestine mint that, in the first thirty years of the 13th century, minted fake Venetian and Carinthian coins.

A bit of history

Since the 13th century, the rural hamlet of Toppo has been divided into two cores by the course of the Gleria stream: the first, the eastern one, includes the parish church of San Lorenzo and the medieval farms of Toppo. The hamlet of Pino, on the other hand, to the west, lies at the foot of the remains of the ancient castle. The manor is considered one of the most important examples of fortified architecture in 12th-14th century Friuli, thanks to the fact that it did not change after the 15th century. In the 16th century, however, it already appeared abandoned and in ruins, as the lords of Toppo had moved to the foot of the hill, to the present Toppo-Wassermann palace.

Curiosities

For lovers of good food, not to be missed is the tasting of the omelet typical of this village, flavored with salted cheese from the Val Cosa. This soft and creamy dairy product is processed in the hamlet of Molevana di Travesio and ripens in a special brine of water, salt, milk and cream, stored in larch vats.