The Origins
The 1600s and the Gambara Family
One of the earliest references to the farmhouse dates back to 1641, when, according to the new General Estimo instituted by the Venetian Republic, the property was recorded as belonging to Count Uberto and his brother Gambara. The two were also the owners of the castle in the center of Pralboino. In the document, they declared ownership of “possessione Tavoletta con casa da massaro aradora et vidata”—an estate named Tavoletta, including a farmhouse, arable land, and a vineyard.
Another prominent member of the Gambara family, Count Alemanno, known for his eccentric ideas and violent temperament, is believed by many historians to have inspired the character of the “Innominato” in Alessandro Manzoni’s The Betrothed.
On June 1, 1802, Count Alemanno sold the property through his agent, Count Beltramelli of Bergamo, to the Frizzi brothers—Lazzaro and Benedetto—from Ostiano, a town now part of the province of Cremona. Benedetto Frizzi was a multifaceted figure—an engineer, land surveyor, doctor, writer, music and theater critic—remembered today for his extensive studies and his generosity to those in need.
Unlike the Gambara family, who managed their properties as feudal lords, the Frizzi brothers—and their descendants—proved to be more efficient and entrepreneurial in their agricultural management. While they continued to rent the farmhouse rather than farm it directly, they focused on improving irrigation systems, expanding and upgrading the buildings, and transforming their estates into efficient and dynamic agricultural centers.
THE NEW FACE OF CASCINA TAVOLETTE: FROM FARM TO MULTIFUNCTIONAL CENTER
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