Gabriella Williams di Strassoldo is the current owner of the castle of Strassoldo di Sopra. Her mother inherited her family's estate in awful conditions in the Sixties. The place belongs the counts of Strassoldo since it was built more than a thousand years ago. Like her mother, Lella felt obliged to look after the complex and helped her mother as much as possible since she was very Young, so the two of them alone dedicated their life to the maintenance and restoration of the castle.
The lack of money and aid forced them to face many difficulties, but year after year there were improvals and the complex has now acquired its ancient beauty.
The complex is formed by a central building and a series of houses once used for administrative and rural purposes, the whole is surrounded by centuries old gardens washed by spring water courses. Many parts of the complex were complete total ruins up to 20 years ago.
Gabriella grew up in Britain, Germany, Austria and Italy and speaks fluent English, French, German and Italian. She, therefore, brought her experience and different mentality to Friuli-Venezia Giulia, implementing many touristic activities that involved also other castles of the Region.
She organised many fund raising activities (exhibitions, visits, weddings, workshops, presentations, etc.) with the aim to carry out the heavy restoration works.
After renovating many parts of the main building of the castle and its garden, she brought back the Archives, which had been sold by her grandfather, in 2001, and immediately started restoring its ground floor and garden. In 2009 the the rice mill, which had partially collpased was also restored and turned into bed and breakfast, with four double rooms, which are open from mid April to mid November.
In 2012 the guards' houses and the Vicinia, which had collapsed, were restored and turned into holiday homes. There are now three lovely self catering and independent Holiday homes, each with its own garden