INTERVIEW WITH MR. FORGIARINI GRAZIANO

How did you learn your job?

I began working at the age of 22, when I was in Switzerland, in the area between the Ticino and the Grigioni cantons, and in February 1963 I was given the task of reconstructing a stone wall.

Is it possible to build walls here in Gemona so that they last over a long time?

Gemona is a seismic area, so the walls may collapse easily. To avoid this problem, it is advisable to support them with reinforced-iron, electro-welded metal meshes and water pipes. It is also advisable to surround the wall with stones on the outside.

What constructions have you done here?

The whole of Via Glemine goes up to the Cathedral and the nursery school in Via Piovega, which was built while I was working alone on the wall in Via de Caine, which is about 150 meters long.

What tools were used and how was the work organized?

Livio and I worked on the walls, while a third person called Gilberto Graziani made the mortar, worked the cement-mixer/made the cement and chose the stones to use; so each man had his own task. The materials that we used were sand and cement. They were provided by the town council authority, while everything else was free. They were taken a little at a time, when needed, not all at once.

Where were the stones for the construction of the walls taken from?

Most of the time they were taken from the stream below Sant'Agnese Hill; the stones found in the River Tagliamento are not entirely suitable as they are very round and the stones should be slightly more square in shape..

How did the idea to rebuild the walls begin?

It all started when we saw very damaged walls near the Silans fountain, so we had the idea of ​​rebuilding them.

How long does it take to repair a damaged or incomplete wall?

It took about two years to reconstruct Via Glemine; altogether it took about 5 years to restore the walls.

When did you work and what period of the year is it best to work in?

The work started in the morning and ended when we got tired, usually around four or five o’clock in the afternoon. We spent about seven or eight hours a day working unless it rained. We worked in spring and autumn, when it is not as hot or cold as in summer and winter.

How did you shape the stones?

We took them all to the same place, placed them on a workbench and chiseled them until they were beautiful to the eye so that afterwards they could be bricked up. Some stones were taken to a stone masonry workshop, so that they could be cut to the required size with suitable tools, such as a mechanical cutter.

Are your children and grandchildren interested in rebuilding walls?

No, nowadays the building industry is not really attractive because the job is time consuming and hard, therefore people prefer to do other jobs, such as working in the IT field.

What happened when you finished rebuilding the first wall?

We rebuilt the first wall just as it was originally and, once finished, we had a big party to celebrate the event.

How long do the walls last once they are rebuilt?

Except for earthquakes or accidents of various kinds, normally a wall, with internal iron reinforcement, lasts for a very long time.