The dissolution of the Austrian Empire at the end of the First World War made them definitely become protagonist of the more recent Italian history.

The signs of the past are still present on the island and they significantly witness its ancient origins in a long period that goes from 452 AD to 1451. In 452 AD Aquileia was invaded and devastated by a barbaric tribe called Huns, led by Attila; the population was forced to leave the town and the lagoon, followed Archbishop Secondo, and took refuge in Grado. Later in 1451 the Papal bull of Pope Nicolò V transferred the Patriarch’s Seat from Grado to the Venetian Archbishop’s Seat of Castello led by Lorenzo Giustiniani: the first Patriarch of Venice. These long thousand years represent an important and illustrious , although difficult, period of the History of Grado that after losing the Patriarch’s seat remained in a dignified isolation and called out from the History of the great State it belonged to the Republic of Venice. Grado was governed by a Count sent by Venice, he was chosen among the noble families, while the population was segregated to a small group of fishermen. Nevertheless the people never accepted this complete subordination and caused many problems to those who were asked to lead and control them.

The inhabitants’ proud temperament, still present today, found and finds its origin in the awareness of a glorious past and of a long deprivation. The people identify themselves with the group, held by an instinctive religiosity, by the passion for music that made them form choirs of over 1000 voices, by a strong connection with their tradition and their environment, by using an ancient venetian dialect , dialect that gave voice to one of the greatest poets of 1900, a poet who expressed his stubborn faithful to the island: Biagio Marin.

Grado started to emerged from its isolation ( which hadn’t allowed the development of new forms of art and of impressive architecture, but which is witnessed by the simple beauty of its historical town - centre) at the end of 1800 when the great medical value of its sands was discovered, therefore it was understood the suitability of the town to become a seaside resort. The island, after the inglorious end of the Republic of Venice, suffered from the short but negative French occupation, then it was annexed to the County of Gorizia and Gradisca, dominion of the Hapsburg Empire. The Austrian entrepreneurs were the first hotel-keepers, who gave the most important contribution to establish the modern Grado: the elegant and particular tourist and thermal town, which was in that period the summer seaside resort of Austrian, Slovakian, Bohemian, Hungarian upper, middle- class and aristocracy and of a more international tourism. The tragedy of the First World War touched the little town, that so close to the line of war was subjected to the changeable development of the war operations. After 1918, together with the rest of Venezia Giulia, it was annexed to Italy.

Although Grado is connected to the land through two bridges (one reaches Monfalcone and the other Aquileia) it always remains an island as unique and incomparable as its 10.000 inhabitants.
Two concrete link roads are not enough to cancel centuries rich in history and the lagoon incomparable beauty, which surrounds it , functions as a natural lung and at the same time as a geographical and emotional point of reference for the well-rooted daily life habits. The lagoon is one of the fewest “alive” lagoons in Europe rich in animals and plants and in small isles on which original buildings called “casuni” made of reed and mud were once, in a not so far past, the only fishermen’s home. Near those small isles the Isle of Barbana stands out for the other ones. It is known for the old monastery so dear to the Christian faith of the inhabitants of Grado; according to the tradition over 750 years ago the population made a vow and promised to go there, every year, on a pilgrimage on the first Sunday of July . The vow is released during an impressive religious procession, called “Perdòn” made on the boats floating through the canals.