The octagonal structure has four major sides, with southwest, northeast, southeast, northwest orientation, and another four smaller sides oriented according to the directions of the main cardinal axes. It is built with two floors above ground and a floor very similar to a tower, on top of which the belvedere is positioned. Internally, the Zizzola is made up of a series of small rooms converging into a central circular hall, all vaulted
“At the top of the hill was the mansion that surmounted their city. The bizarre, eight-sided, brick shape that time had faded, appeared clear and sharp under the moon ”. This is how Giovanni Arpino described the Zizzola, a characteristic structure that, from the top of Monte Guglielmo, dominates Bra.
Impossible not to see it, even from miles away, and not to be intrigued by its bizarre proportions, as well as by the colorful sayings that have always accompanied its history.
Built as a private residence, it is possible to cross the threshold and discover its interiors in the spectacular multimedia museum set-up of the “Casa dei Braidesi”.
In the rooms you can find traces of the world of which the Braidesi are children and grandchildren, while those who come from other places will discover something more of the city of Zizzola. All of this amidst the fascinating suggestions of the area, the warm atmosphere of a domestic environment and the exciting 360-degree view of Langhe and Roero that the privileged position of the building offers.
A special “home”, where you can discover the territory, the cultural and economic life, the present and the future of Bra.
Interactive contents and historical documents intertwine the public memory of the city with the private memory of the community.
The tour is "suggested" and many spaces are dedicated to the stop and the "slow" enjoyment of the place, also thanks to the availability of media that can be freely consulted.
"... the Zizzola is closely linked to the Bra landscape, so much so that it has become its main symbol [...] which summarizes the city itself for the Braidesi and this by tradition that is now 100 years old, almost like the Mole Antonelliana has become the symbol of Turin ..."
Marta Fasola