CARRÙ, Cuneo — Lorenzo Einaudi came from the Maira Valley, one of the highlands of Cuneo province, lush and somewhat wild. He was born there, in San Damiano Macra, on April 7, 1839. As an adult, he chose not to become a shopkeeper like his parents, but instead moved down to the plains, settling in Carrù, the town known as the “gateway to the Langhe.” At the time, it had about 4,000 residents and a growing number of small businesses.

A document from 1869 identifies Lorenzo as a Tax Collector. He was contracted to collect taxes in a district encompassing the towns of Carrù, Magliano Alpi, Clavesana and Piozzo. His office was on the ground floor of a building in Piazza Nuova.

In 1871, Lorenzo married Placida Fracchia, an elementary school teacher from Dogliani. The couple had six children, including Luigi, who would become the first elected President of the Italian Republic. The house where Luigi was born, on March 24, 1874, is now about to take on a new identity and purpose: It will become a hotel called “Le Stanze del Presidente,” or “The President’s Rooms.”

The current owner, entrepreneur Claudia Marruccelli, announced the project to Carrù residents at a public event. She told La Stampa: “I own the building and the entire block, including Villa Perotti, which I had restored in recent years. The historical importance of the building, because of its connection to Einaudi’s life, convinced me some time ago that I should undertake a project there as well. It will have to be a substantial one, because the building needs complete renovation. But I want to continue doing business in this community.”

Villa Perotti, behind Einaudi’s birthplace, is an Art Deco residence where Gen. Giuseppe Perotti, a recipient of Italy’s Gold Medal for Military Valor and a hero of the Resistance, spent his summers with his wife, Fiorenza Bori, and their children. Marruccelli is his granddaughter and also the great-granddaughter of Lazzaro Bori, a longtime local school teacher.

Plans to begin construction of the hotel are already underway. “The house was entirely rented out to low-income families, and we proceeded to terminate the leases. If the building is vacated on schedule and there are no setbacks, I hope to begin work in a year, since I am already preparing the project documents needed to apply for a European grant. I expect construction to take two years, bringing us to the opening.”

Luigi Einaudi’s father worked in the building from 1869 to 1887. His duties included handling tax notices, payment orders and tax-account registers for the various fiscal years. His family rented an apartment there, where all six children were born. “Luigi was born in a square-shaped room at the corner of the house,” according to the website turismoincarru.it, “which still has its low hipped ceiling, wooden floor and old window frames. Along one wall is a shallow built-in wardrobe, closed by a sturdy wooden door.”

Although the Einaudi family moved to Dogliani, Placida Fracchia’s hometown, after their father’s early death and put down roots there, the future President retained a strong connection to Carrù. In the year he was elected, he made an official visit to the town. On Sunday, September 19, 1948, he was greeted with a triumphant reception. A platform for dignitaries was set up beside the birthplace of the Head of State, and Mayor Govone announced that the Town Council had voted to name the street in front of the building after him and to place a commemorative plaque on the façade.

Today’s mayor, Nicola Schellino, adds: “The town tried to acquire the Einaudi building, but the cost was not sustainable. In any case, we have no problem with anything that does not conflict with the plans we have for the building next door. We will move the preschool to the new facility recently built with funds from Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan, and we will turn the former school into a cultural and museum center.”

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