Updated: January 20, 2006

The Medieval Town of Brunetti

Not too far from the Ligurian coastline, under the umbrella of the town of Camporosso, at an altitude of 356 meter, lies the sleepy town of Brunetti. The town is almost hidden (44.84N, 7.608E) in a valley leading up from the town of Ventimiglia towards the Col de Tende. Typically a town one would not stop for, or even remember having passed through.

Brunetti would surely be forgotten in the history of Italy, if it weren't so famous for one fact: It is the sacred spot in the hilly countryside of the Riviera dei Fiori that used to be the home of the famous "Brunetti" family.
This fact in itself will probably wake you up, because you had no clue that there ever existed a birth town of this famous Italian family empire. Well: It does, and I'd like to tell you about it. After reading this, I'm sure you'll want to go there yourself and stand in awe and excitement when you finally can sense and touch the heritage of the Brunetti family.

The Famous Year 1764

Who does not remember 1764! The year that always has been so difficult to remember at your secundary school exams? It was the year when Count Pietraggio the First, also remembered as "the Lazy", and often referred to by his servants as "the Skinny" or" the Sleepless", since he owned all these qualities, managed to collect sufficient people to create an army. He wanted to make sure that, for once and for all, his part of Liguria was kept free from pirates from the Northern African continent as well as the ever eager invaders from the Venetian and Habsburg kingdoms and, not to forget, the ever frivolous Frogs of the Mercantour mountains.
With a small escadre of around 50 soldiers, he left his capital town of Taggia and started to follow the via Aurelia through the lower hills of the Alps to eliminate any opponents. After a day of skirmisches he neared the town of Brunetti, in those days the home of well-to-do businessman and researcher Alessio Brunetti (also referred to as Padre B.) and his charming wife Maria. The count's army was tired and hungry and had been looking for a place to find shelter for the night, when they came eye to eye with Brunetti castle.

Brunetti Castle

Nowadays it is a ruin, like many other buildings from the early 18th century (see picture), but in those days the Brunetti castle gracefully towered into the fresh mountain air with its massive donjon and two dark blue domes allowing for a view both towards the XXmiglian valley as well across the hill towards Ghera, a small coastal fishermen town in those days.
Pietraggio intended to take the Brunetti castle in his usual way, by imprisoning the owners and having the servants serve a feast before also throwing them in chains in the dungeons.
As usual, his younger brother and swordsman Boreaturio (nicknamed Bor by his friends as well as by his many enemies) and his men rounded up the people at the castle square, allowing Il Conte to inspect the castle. This was a special moment, because the Count always used this opportunity to select a lady for the evening to warm his bed (and probably some other things as well), for the nights were cold in Liguria in those days.

An Extraordinary Event

That evening, a dramatic event happened that forever changed the life of Count Pietraggio, and that of the Brunetti family. When making his rounds through the empty castle, while the Brunetti family and their servants were shivering in the castle court outside, the Count entered the kitchen.
Actually, he already was irresistably drawn to that place as soon as the fowl smelll of the horse stables had disappeared from his nostrils. There was something in the air that he'd never experienced before. It was the heavenly mix of odors from wheat, raisins, corn, nuts and many other ingredients that came from the massive stove in the middle of the kitchen. Maria Brunetti had put her home-made cookies into that stove only minutes before the arrival of the Count and his army, and they were ready to eat. Starved by his all-day trip, Count Pietraggio took a bite from a cookie and sank on his knees to pray to the holy Virgin: These were the most heavenly cookies he'd ever eaten. He immediately had Bor collect Maria from the square and bring her for him. Rather than sharing his bed for the night, he ordered her to make more and more cookies and he ate and ate until he could no longer walk and had to be carried to bed by four of his swordsmen.

I Brutti Baci Di Brunetti

He awoke 48 hours later, and declared that he'd never felt so satisfied. He immediately decreed that, from now on, he would not take a single step without these heavenly Brunetti cookies, to which he referred to as "I Brutti Baci Di Brunetti" being within his reach.
From that day onwards, wherever Count Pietraggio went, he was accompanied by at least several pounds of these famous Brutti Baci, specially baked for him at the castle and wrapped by the rapid hands of the young girls of the nearby town Ghera. To make sure he would always have his favorite food freshly wrapped, he trusted the supervision of the wrapping by the young maidens in Ghera to his brother Boratturio. Besides his sword, this handsome young fighter had several other famous qualities. Within a year, the population of the village of Ghera showed a remarkable growth, and eventually Boratturio was honered with the title of "Mayor of Ghera". His friends couldn't resist to jokingly naming this fat and settled swordsman as "Bor di Ghera". Some hundred years later, this name still lingers on in the area, but let's focus on the Brunetti saga.

The Saga Spreads

In the year 1801, the expansion of the, by that time enlightened, Pietraggio empire had spread the fame of the Brutti Baci di Brunetti to all of Northern Italy, and when the Count, at that point a very fat member of one of first Italian Governments, eventually passed away at his after-dinner table, he left the country a heritage of one of the most remarkable dolci (sweets, in Italian) that ever existed. The wealth of the Brunetti family became so significant that they eventually deserted their castle in Liguria and moved to their present Palazzo Brunetti near Milan, where they could better supervise their factories, and be closer to their favorite skiing areas in the Alps. To the left you will find a 100 Lire coin depicting Alessandro, the present head of the Brunetti dynasty. The coin was issued late 2001 to honor the contribution of the Brunetti family to the country. What Pizza is to Napels, are the Brutto Baci to Brunetti, so goes the saying. Unfortunately, only few months later the Euro was introduced. Collectors offer a good price for the few surviving Brunetti coins.

Rise and Fall of the Brunetti Castle

For the castle in Brunetti, the move of the family indicated the end of an era. The abandoned castle fell pray to the sweet tooth of time, and the donjon eventually collapsed in the earthquake of 1887 (the one that also hit Bussana). Nowadays you will not find many artifacts of the glorious past of this town, but the history in itself makes visiting the town worth a visit. Even when you walk the small town streets, likely followed by the shepherd dogs of a local farmer not used to visitors, and pass the remains of the castle you will notice some of the grandeur of the rumorous 18th century. And while you're in the area, make sure you visit the nearby town of Bordighera and have a drink at a beachfront café, watching the pretty women who's great-great grandmothers once wrapped the delightful Brutti Baci di Brunetti for the Count of Taggia.

The pictures in this article were all shot in the town of Brunetti, with the exception of the picture of the "Brutto Baci" cookie, which was shot at a local bakery in Taggia. The image of the 100 Lire coin with the head of the Brunetti family was gracefully provided by the Museum of Italian History in Milan. Part of this history was based on family archives provided with kind permission by the "Borea" company, vendors in building materials, San Remo.
© AntarticaGalleries2003

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