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ABOUT
TerraMater
Dedicated to my Grandmother,
Princess Fabiola Massimo and to my Grandfather, Baron Enzo Galli-Zugaro.
Cristiano Galli-Zugaro
CEO of Italtrim Ltd
A Tribute to Our Roots
I chose 'TerraMater' as the name for my courtesy line and products for hotels and resorts as a tribute to the fairy tale locations in Italy along with their atmosphere, flavours and customs. The unrivalled beauty found within Taormina, Capri and Portofino recalls fond memories of my Grandmother Fabiola, the person whom I chose to dedicate this line to as memories of her smile, warmth and kindness still linger in my mind.
1922
The Story Begins
In 1922 Baron Enzo Galli-Zugaro married Princess Fabiola Massimo. The crest in the foreground belongs to the Galli-Zugaro family while the crest in the background represents the Massimo family.
I chose to display my family's heraldic crests as part of the logo to serve as a reminder for myself and those close to me of who we are and where we come from. I wanted to create a memory which I hope will live on for a long time, tied to our roots and the places we have lived.
My Grandmother Fabiola, daughter of Princess Beatrice of Bourbon, granddaughter of the last pretender to the throne of Spain as Charles VII of Bourbon, pretender to the throne of France and Navarra as Charles XI, was one out of four sisters and Mother to four boys. She was a strong and brave woman.
In 1928 she had the honour of becoming Godmother to her cousin Dona Fabiola de Mora y Aragon, whom in 1960 became the Queen of Belgium and wife to S.M. King Baudouin. There are many stories about my Grandmother's life, some which I have heard first hand from her directly throughout my childhood.
1997
Castles in the Loire Region
In 1997 my wife and I took a trip to France where we explored castles in the Loire region. We happened to come across the Chambord castle, a hunting residence belonging to the French monarchs, where a tapestry at the entrance caught my eye.
This very tapestry represented the dynasty of the French royal family starting with King Louis XIV. I further examined the branches of the family tree illustrated on the tapestry when to my surprise I noticed the Galli-Zugaro. I then realised that we were amongst the direct descendants of the French royal family, closely connected to the Spanish Bourbons my Great-Great Grandfather Charles VII of Bourbon married Princess Margherita of Bourbon Parma, both directly descending from the French royal family
BACK TO THE LATE 1700’s
The Lost Heart of the Dauphin
A few months after my trip to France I received a phone call whilst living in New York from a French journalist asking for the legal rights to publish an article concerning the heart of the Dauphin of France and asking if we have given our permission to celebrate the Dauphin's funeral with state honours in Paris. I was completely baffled as to why a French journalist would be calling me for matters concerning the lost heart of the Dauphin. She proceeded to explain the heart, dating back to the late 1700's was found inside a little wooden box to which a label was attached with my Grandmother's name written in her own writing. I was told the box contained a heart the size of a nightingale which belonged to my Grandmother who guarded it protectively in a family castle in Austria. The heart was passed down from her mother who received it from her Grandmother Princess Margherita, wife of Charles VII of Bourbon. I then remembered a story my Father told me about a castle sieged by the Red Army in 1945. Frohsdorf castle, situated on the outskirts of Vienna, belonged to our family and served as my Grandmother's home before the war. To this day, our cousin lives in the stables which have been transformed into a home and the castle has since been transformed into a national Austrian museum.
MY GREAT-GREAT-GRANDFATHER
Charles VII of Spain
Charles XI of France and Navarra
In the picture my great-great-Grandfather Charles VII of Spain and at the same time Charles XI of France and Navarra. To this day, our cousin lives in the stables which have been transformed into a home and the castle has since been transformed into a national Austrian museum.
My Grandmother Fabiola and her sisters were forced to abandon the castle in 1945, leaving behind precious valuables such as the box containing the Dauphin's heart.
The heart was remained lost and forgotten until scientific studies conducted 52 years later in Paris confirmed it belonged to the last Dauphin of France, son of Louis XVI AND Marie Antoinette both decapitated in 1789. Following his Father's death, the little prince was imprisoned but passed away at a young age. His heart was taken from his body and passed down the Bourbon family until reaching my Grandmother.
My Father and Uncle both attended the burial. We were later asked to sign documents allowing French filmmakers to create a documentary on the Dauphin's death to be aired on national television.
My Father and my uncle were able to greatly help the filmmakers by providing information his Mother had passed down to him regarding the French royal family.
My Grandmother kept the little Dauphin's heart safe for 45 years and only to have lost it during the Second World War. I believe a dignified funeral for the Dauphin was exactly what she would have wanted. Louis XVIII's heart has been returned to Terra Mater to rest alongside the Kings of France. There are many versions of this story running in the internet but the one I have just told you is the real one.
The old summer holidays
The Castle of Frohsdorf
In the first picture you can see the castle of Frohsdorf where my Grandmother and her sisters spent their youth and where my father and my uncles used to pass the summer holidays.
The value of TerraMater
Celebrating My Roots and Family
The picture shows the baptise of my father. My father's name is Umberto and his God father was H.M. Umberto Il of Savoy King of Italy (second from right wearing a uniform).
In this image you can see my Grandmother (first woman from left) and the Queen of Italy H.M. Maria Jose' of Belgium. The first man on the right is my great Grandfather the Prince Fabrizio Massimo. My Grandfather Baron Galli-Zugaro has always been a put together man, he was a elegant and stern military man who was extremely loyal to the Italian royal family. He was a 'Cavaliere di Corte' for S.M Queen Elena, wife of King Vittorio Emanuele III of Savoy and consequently, the personal advisor to Umberto II. He spent prolonged periods of time at Villa Italia in Cascais, Portugal - the chosen location for the exiled King. Umberto Il is Godfather to my Father and witnessed my uncle's wedding in 1968. To most people, stories from the past have lost their value over time. Creating this line of products provided me with a purpose to remember and celebrate my roots and family.
