labro
History
The recovery
Labro: probable name deriving from the Latin "lavabrum" "basin", referring to the underlying Lake of "Luco" the current "Piediluco".
'950: the beginning of feudal history, a military fortress, the Germanic emperor Otto I invests Aldobrandino de Nobili, Lord of Labro, declaring in the investiture, "Labro, chief and metropolis"' 1300 / '1400: due to one of the wars between Guelphs and Ghibellines,
the Pope excommunicates the de Nobili family. In 1474 Pope Sixtus IV revoked the ex-communication, as evidenced by a bull still preserved in the family archives. In exchange, the de Nobili family was forced to demolish the "keep", the highest defense tower in central Italy. In addition, the arms room was replaced by the current Church of Santa Maria Maggiore.
1400 / 1500: de Nobili marries the last descendant of the Vitelleschi family. The two families merge, giving life to the (de) Nobili-Vitelleschi and uniting the coats of arms: crowned eagle and fish (de Nobili), lilies, and calves (Vitelleschi).
The Vitelleschi nobles rebuilt the castle in smaller dimensions, preserving the walls.
1500: Important palaces were built below and around the Three Doors, the center of the town, and the central place of defense and attack of the village: Palazzo Barbellini, Crispolti, Curini, Palenca, etc ..
The fortified village will run its history as a "spectator" until the Second World War.
1945: the emigration of noble and bourgeois families abroad creates the exodus from the country, which, as in all the smaller towns in the hills, continued until the end of the 1960s.
1968: The idea of recovering the entire village of Labro was born, an architectural project that was initially quite utopian but which, after so much effort, love, respect, and sensitivity, offers today a rare example of historical and artistic homogeneity.
It was 1968 when Yvan Van Mossevelde, a Flemish architect specializing in the recovery of historic buildings, was in Labro during one of his occasional trips to Italy.
The architectural uniformity and homogeneity of the village of Labro, with its introverted but protective character, the intense feeling of peace and silence, but above all its scenic beauty and unspoiled, healthy and authentic nature, deeply moved the architect who, in a short time he synthesizes this reality to transform it into a dream.
The dream and "the desire to protect this beautiful village" begin to come to life after meeting the Marquise Ottavia Nobili Vitelleschi in the Castle of Labro, who gives confidence and credibility to the recovery project.
The 1950s-1960s, which were a time of abandonment of smaller towns towards large cities with public transport and job opportunities, left the village of Labro exposed to a substantial risk of deterioration and disfigurement. This risk partially materialized in the 60s and 70s, when, due to a period of growth and well-being, the village was threatened by the interests of entrepreneurs guided by speculative logic.
The recovery intervention was, at this point, the only opportunity to safeguard this unique village of its kind.
The dream came true.
Thanks to foreign funding, the first 31 notarial deeds were completed in April 1969.
With the consent and political will of the Municipality of Labro, the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, and thanks to the wise and loving recovery followed so far by the architect Van Mossevelde, today the village continues to shine with its uniqueness, uniformity, and architectural homogeneity.
Labro, a village where stones have a soul.
Labro, where the past speaks to the future.
The phases of the
architectural recovery of the
village of Labro
1968-2020
the comparison
LABRO ON PAPER
architecture / design / fashion
Over the years, Labro has won several covers in important magazines in the sector and articles in magazines such as Bell'Italia, Dove, Villas, Panorama, Lazio itinerary, Corriere della Sera.
Furthermore, the village of Labro is also a popular destination for cinematographic and photographic productions, taking advantage of the evocative views of the village and the interiors of the structures of the Diffuso Crispolti hotel.