OFF THE BEATEN TRACK

RIOFREDDO - Museo delle Culture di Villa Garibaldi Archivi ...

My husband and I came upon the Villa Garibaldi just by chance. We were driving around the lesser known byways near the Lazio-Abruzzo border when we came across the town of Riofreddo and a sign among the trees caught our attention. It indicated the Museum of Culture Villa Garibaldi situated in Via Costanza Garibaldi and it was really the name of Constance Garibaldi that intrigued us. We had no idea who she was. We followed the signs that took us through a gate and into an overgrown and sadly neglected park surrounding a large house with two round towers. A flight of stone steps took us up into the museum, where we were greeted by Annita Garibaldi Jallet, a charming and distinguished-looking lady who turned out to be the great grand-daughter of Italys national hero, Giuseppe Garibaldi.  

The museum, she explained, had been set up in a wing of the former family home of Ricciotti Garibaldi, Giuseppes youngest son and her grandfather. The Costanza who had been honoured with a street in her name was his English wife, Harriet Constance Hopcraft. The family had come to Riofreddo on holiday in 1888 and fallen in love with the place. They had bought a plot of land and built themselves a holiday home that was supposed to become a castle. Ricciotti, however, had eternal financial problems and he never actually managed to finish the work completely. Fortunately, his wife, Constance, was of a more practical bent. She planted an orchard and converted part of the ground into a smallholding, which served to feed her numerous children. Later, when she was widowed, Constance stayed on in the house with two unmarried daughters and dedicated herself to good works. The three women are still remembered with affection in the town.

Subsequently, the house was abandoned and left to fall into ruin. It was rescued by Ms. Garibaldi Jallet, who bought it over from the other heirs and restored it. The right wing is now the museum of folklore, set up with the support of the local administration. It documents the customs, the life and the work of the rural community that lived in the area in the past. The other part of the house, instead, is dedicated to Garibaldi family memorabilia, including a faithful reconstruction of the Bordeaux study that belonged to Sante Garibaldi (Ricciotti and Constances son and Annita Jallets father), gifted to him by French prime minister, Edouard Herriot in 1938.

2007 marked the Bicentenary of the birth of Giuseppe Garibaldi, whose vision and genius  brought about the unification of Italy a century and a half ago. The old hero would no doubt have been gratified to know that the celebrations were coordinated by a national committee spearheaded by his great grand-daughter, Annita Jallet, dedicated to keeping his memory and his message alive.

Margaret Stenhouse

 Museum of Culture Villa Garibaldi: open Mon, Wed., Sat. & Sun. 10.30-1.30 am - 3-6 pm., plus holidays and additional days during the summer.

For information: Tel. (0039)0774/929186/929116  www.museo.comune.riofreddo.rm.it

Posted on 17 Jan 2008 by Editor
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