On the walls of the houses in Grazzano Visconti, there is a mistery about the inscription – decoration with a cryptic meaning, it’s set close to a carnation flower.
The image
The image represents a big red carnation flower, its stem is rounded by a scroll where it’s possible to read a mysterious inscription in Gothic letter style:
” Otla. ni.adraug.e.enetapipmi”.
Probably the mysterious inscription represents the though of the Count Giuseppe Visconti di Modrone, the creator of the village, who aswered to all the people who criticised his work and its vision on the village.
Actually this person was an eccentric and revolutionary man, after he inherited the castle, he decided to restore it according to an eclectic style. At the beginning of the XX century he created a project with the support of the architect Alfredo Campanini about a neo-medieval little village. The count decided to found the Istitution too, a school which promoted the Craftsmanship in the Idustrial age.
The mistery about the inscription of Grazzano Visconti
If we try to read the inscription backwards, from right to left side and from the bottom to the top, ” Otla.ni.adraug.e.enetapipmi” is the saying “Impipatene.e.guarda.in.alto”(do not care and go your own way).
Anyway, such a strong and clear statement wasn’t shown in plain sight, but well hidden between some wall decorations painted all over Grazzano Visconti.
Inside the castle, it’s possible to find some more sayings which represent the intense indipendency wish as ” Frangar not Flectar” (I’m breaking but i’m not bending) or some other quotations as the one took from the Purgatorio, V Canto from the Divina Commedia:
“Vien dietro a me, e lascia dir le genti:
sta come torre ferma, che non crolla
già mai la cima per soffiar di venti”.
(Come after me, and let the people talk; / Stand like a steadfast tower, that never wags. / Its top for all the blowing of the winds)
