Foto di Lorenzo Zanolla
Staranzano is located in the so-called “bisiacaria” (a term perhaps deriving from the Slavic bisciac, meaning refugee or fugitive), a territory between the rivers Timavo and Isonzo. Over the centuries, it has been a crossroads for people, powers and armies that have left their traces in local customs and ways of speaking. The centre of the village is dominated by the large and famous hackberry tree (in Linnean celtis australis, in bisiàc bobolar), planted in the square of Staranzano in 1872. It is now considered the real symbol of the town and still constitutes its most traditional and representative gathering point.
In ancient times, since the Celtic presence, it was in fact common practice in the centre of the Bisiachi villages and the lower Friuli area to place large trees – which are now largely gone – under whose branches meetings, events and important moments for the communities took place. Inspired by its monumental value, in 1992 the “ Golden Bobolar” prize was established, which is awarded every year to people, organisations or institutions that are particularly deserving for their work towards the community.