Village of Cloz, Val di Non, Italy

The village of Cloz is divided in the two neighborhoods: Santa Maria or Cloz of "The Outside", and Santo Stephen or Cloz of "The Inside." (**This refers to the locations relative to the original parish boundaries.)  Between the two together, rise the parish church and the town hall. Setting on the southern side of Mt. Ozol, Cloz is a very ancient village. It surely was a Roman site, even if one discards every bit of truth with the legend that one sees up here about the exiled Julia, daughter of emperor Augustus, as noted with loving circumstances by the poet Ovidio.(**This refers to the legend that states Julia was exiled to the "far reaches of the empire"; ie. Cloz.) A prehistoric casting of the Bronze Age has been found on the Back of the Cross. (**Local artifact.)

The parish of Santo Stefano and the church of Santa Maria are very ancient. 

Architectural treasures of Cloz are the typical triangular shutters, the double doors of  the  Renaissance style, the big ovens for cooking of bread that decorate the old houses. Among the  frescos worthy of noting are those of the Cisi house  (the dragon of S. Giorgio, Madonna  with Child and the noble coats of arms) and of the Mola house (Madonna with the Saints Rocco and Sebastiano). In the outskirts of the village, on a wooded hill,  there are a few ruins of the ancient Fava Castle. This would be the ancient castle of Cloz of the 12th century. Subsequently it passed to the Counts of Arsio and after 1334 it is called Superior castle, to distinguish it from the "Inferior", or  Santa Anna castle.
 
Many, many thanks to Allen E. Rizzi for the English translation of the original Italian text.  For Italian text, click here.
**Explanatory notes from Allen E. Rizzi.
Home Village of Cloz Church of S.Stefano Poem:  S.Stefano Church of S.Maria Fr. Benjamin Franch
Visit to Cloz - 1999 Immigrant Ancestors About Us Super Links Our Family History Site Guest Book
Photos from postcards courtesy Collene M. Jackson
(c) 2000, Barbara A. Smith, Last updated 20 July 2000