The Compendio Garibaldino of Caprera, during the extended working hours from 20.00 to 23.00 on August 10, 17, and 24, 2018, is offering its visitors a fascinating and interesting journey through the history of the buildings that surround the entrance courtyard of the house/museum.
Visitors will have the opportunity to access some areas that are not part of the usual tour, and to discover the spaces that the Hero of the Two Worlds inhabited.
All buildings have a simple and linear architecture, lacking any ornamental elements, but very characteristic for their irregular aspect, enriched by the surrounding sense of peace and solitude. The structures have the typical white façade of South America influence, and they are located around the edges of a green area. The courtyard was a very important meeting place for the small island community. The General planted the majestic centuries-old pine tree to celebrate the birthday of his daughter Clelia in the middle of the courtyard, where visitors are greeted before beginning the tour.
Three structures will be shown during the next three Fridays, in chronological order. These buildings are usually closed to the public, and each one will have a small exhibition inside.
- Friday 10 August, 2018, from 20.00 to 23.00: Garibaldi’s first house.
This is the oldest building of the compound. During the beginning of 1856, after arriving in Caprera and completing some restoration work, the Hero moved in this small structure. There will be an exhibition of copies of historical images inside this building’s modest spaces, some of them unpublished, that testify and visually reconstruct the phases of the constructions inside the entire living complex.
- Friday 17 August, 2018, from 20.00 to 23.00: The wooden house. It was designed and built by Garibaldi in 1856 to expand the living spaces of the first house. It was entirely built with wood from Nice. It is a simple one room building, raised from the ground, where visitors can admire a scale model of all the buildings of Garibaldi’s compound.
- Friday 24 August, 2018, from 20.00 to 23.00: The iron house. This building is situated between the white house and the stable, and occupies a special place in the courtyard. It differs from the other surrounding buildings for its unique modernity. It is a rare prototype of an English style prefabricated house, constructed with wood and covered with undulated metallic sheets. The house was donated and shipped from London to Caprera to General Garibadi by his friend Felice Orrigoni, in 1861. For this occasion, some of Garibaldi’s books will be exhibited inside its rooms.
Garibaldi’s first house