the location
Opposite the Palazzo Antonini, the building designed by Andrea Palladio in 1540, which is mentioned first among the nine city palaces in the second of the “Four Books of Architecture,” the old inn “Ai Frati” represents one of the oldest gastronomic establishments in Udine. The location was formerly the site of butcher shops or meat stalls and trade, strategically situated on the edge of one of the many irrigation canals that fed the internal waterways of the original urban settlement. As early as the 13th century, the Patriarch of Aquileia, Raimondo della Torre, mentioned the building as a butcher shop.
the building
Imagine a building whose roots stretch back to the distant year of 1250, located in the charming village of Gemona, right along the third of the five walls constructed from 1200 onwards to protect the medieval town. This estate, with its historical significance and timeless appeal, overlooks the picturesque little square named after the Palladian palace across from it, a silent witness to centuries of urban history.
Through numerous renovations and changes in ownership, this building has accompanied and closely observed the history of Udine. Among its illustrious owners is the Della Rovere family, who, in 1740, affixed their coat of arms, which is still visible today on the keystone of the entrance portal, a tangible sign of their presence and importance.
THE RENOVATION
With its acquisition in 2023, the new ownership initiated a significant renovation that encompassed both the exterior and interior spaces. The new management’s intent is evident in their efforts to remove the layers and alterations made over the last century, with particular focus on restoring the original spaces. These were cleared of the various heterogeneous and confusing, sometimes “invented” pieces of furniture that catered more to an imagined history than to the real one.
The restoration was carried out with a conservative approach, aiming at a philological return to repair the ill-considered interventions made in recent decades.
The desire to return to a minimal and coherent aesthetic, consistent with the typical historical fabric of the city of Friuli, prevailed. The goal was to free the building from embellishments of various origins while preserving the lyrical language of the spaces, highlighting the simplicity of the place, which consists of imperfect walls and floors worn by centuries of use.
“Food prepared with passion and served with love is the purest way to give happiness.”