The hills

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The hills

"From their heights, the horizon is free on every side, and few places can offer such an interesting panorama as the one admired from the peak known as the 'pines,' overlooking the ancient castle of Buttrio. The view is magnificent, as the gaze overlooks the entire range of the Carnic and Julian Alps. Nearby lies the white line of the Torre River, and the deep trench of the Natisone."

This is how the hills of Buttrio are described in the Prealpi Giulie guide.

This is the charm of the hilly “heart” of Buttrio, which rises to 142 meters at Calvary and is surrounded, almost as if to protect it, by the course of the Rivolo stream, while it continues eastward into Ronchi di Manzano to reach the Natisone: a special heart that, when viewed from above, is a green spot marked by a succession of vineyards and olive groves.

The climate, the beauty of the places, and the panoramic views in all directions have favored the human influence and the gradual transformation of the territory, as evidenced by the rich presence of toponyms that recall the term "ronc," meaning the land obtained from deforestation with the "runcare," or the act of uprooting with the "ronca," the vegetation that covered the hills.

These hills have attracted painters, artists, and photographers who have immortalized their beauty. One notable example is the famous and extraordinary panoramic photograph taken by Attilio Brisighelli in 1937.

The repertoire of toponyms is particularly rich, strongly reflecting the deforestation activity (Ronchi, Roncato, Roncuz…), but also the presence of meadows, woods, and clearings, indicating the intensive agricultural activity that took place here.

Today, the hills are traversed by many hiking trails that can be explored on foot, while practicing nordic walking or on plogging, o in traditional bicycles, mountain bikes, and most recently e-bikes. These routes allow you to enjoy an extraordinary landscape rich in biodiversity, marked by a succession of ecosystems characterized by a great variety of species depending on the slopes, soil types, and exposure.

The hills are also dotted with solitary trees or groups of trees, such as cypresses, various species of pines, and on Calvary, towering sequoias, which have always characterized the imaginary landscape of Buttrio.

Pietro Zorutti, in his“La gnot d’avril su la culine di Buri” (The April night on the hill of Buttrio) expresses it as follows:

« ...Jeve la lune e spand il so lusor; Ve’ le che batt sore chèi cuatri pins Che son culì vicins! […] Che’ lune benedete in t’un moment Ilumine la tiare e il firmament...».

The moon arises and spreads its splendor / there it rests above those four pines / which are so close to me! / Blessed be that moon that in an instant / illuminates the earth and the firmament.

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