Since 1927
In the early 1900s Ottavio Palombaro founded the “Azienda Boschiva Ottavio Palombaro e figli”. This timber company expanded rapidly, working in many Regions in the south of Italy and abroad and becoming, in 20 years, the most important Italian company in the sector, with the status of official suppliers of railway sleepers to the Italian state.
In 1927, having Umbrian roots, Ottavio Palombaro sent his son Giovanni to visit the western area of Lake Trasimeno.
Giovanni fell in love with Monte del Lago, and bought the Villa of Monte del Lago with the estate and olive mill from Riccardo Schnabl.
During those years he had set up an important deal with the Yugoslav government for the supply of railway sleepers, and as Yugoslavia paid in gold dinars, that was the currency Riccardo Schnabl wanted to be paid in for the Monte del Lago estate. In 1933 the Miralago estate with the Castello Borgia was also bought.
Monte del Lago property
On Ottavio’s death, the Monte del Lago property went to Giovanni Palombaro and that of Miralago to his brother Antonio.
Parallel to the timber business, Giovanni managed Monte del Lago, which he loved deeply, and in 1930, when they brought electricity to the Villa, he decided to have it brought to all the 23 nearby settlements, making new wells and equipping the estate with the latest machinery at the time so as to improve production and at the same time the estate workers’ living conditions.
Over the years the Giovanni Palombaro commercial farm at Monte del Lago won numerous prizes from the Ministry of Agriculture.
The Fattoria Palombaro nowadays
In 1960 Giovanni bought Castel di Zocco with the surrounding land and the Villa Aganoor Pompilj, further expanding the Monte del Lago property where he loved to spend as much time as possible with his family.
Today Luca Palombaro, Giovanni’s grandson, manages the Estate and its link with tradition. New technology now allows the production of oil with top quality taste properties, but the memory and transmission of tradition will always be the point of reference.
