Among the castles around Asti

It is a pleasant opportunity to recommend a route amongthe castles of the province: almost every municipality, infact has preserved one or more castles or at least someremains, a tower or a ruin of the manor that dominated it.With some exceptions one may confirm the date of thebeginning of a spread in the construction of defensivebuildings in the territory of the present province of Astioccurred around the end of the 9th century, that is at thetime of the invasions of the Hungarians and of the Saracens(924 is the year in which the Castelvecchio of Asti is citedfor the first time). From 889 AD the Saracens had installedthemselves in Frassineto, Provence, using it as the basefor their raids in Piedmont, and in 924 AD the Hungarianshad reached as far as Pavia. The raids ceased in the 11th

century, but the construction of the castles continuedencouraged by the political situation of the period.The life of the castles in Monferrato has not however, beeneasy; first of all during the Middle Ages, owing to thecontinuous struggle between the free Municipality of Asti,and the Marquisate of Montferrat, and then in the 16th and17thcenturies, during the wars of succession to theMarchesate that witnessed raids by the Spanish and Frencharmies during which some of the castles were completelydestroyed. After the reconciliation of Monferrato at thebeginning of the 18thcentury, those surviving had no longera defensive function, becoming elegant country residences.To facilitate the use of this priceless heritage by tourists,the Province of Asti has promoted, for more than 10 years,the "Open Castles" initiative which, from May to Octoberon prearranged dates and times, enables visits to certaincastles (many of which are private property), noble residencesand historical gardens otherwise closed to the public. In2007, on the recommendation by the Region of Piedmont,the initiative was introduced within the interregional project"Urban Centres, Villas and Castles”.

Montemagno Castle

MoncalvoThe large Towers

Castell’Alfero Castle Castell’Alfero Castlegarden

rising on the site of the manor houseof which the large towers remain(one accommodates the wine shopand the tourist information office) andthe mighty wall.Heading towards Calliano onearrives at Castell' Alfero, interestingcentre at the entrance of the ValleVersa and stronghold of the freeMunicipality of Asti since 1290,positioned on the boundary of theterritories of the Marchesato.Ascending on foot from the squarebelow the defensive walls, borderingthe old granary of the castle, onearrives at the public garden, at onetime the park of the Amico Counts,who were responsible for the 18th

century transformation of the fortressof medieval origins into the nobleresidence designed by the architectBenedetto Alfieri. The entrance tothe castle, seat of the municipality,

is from the southern facade, facingthe I ta l ian garden. Recentrestorations have been made to theinside of the castle, in particular theRed Hall, the reception place of theAmico Counts, the Princess’sBoudoir, the Green Room and theTheatre below. The Green Roomwas the music and reception roomand is characterised by a splendidfloor in painted ceramic Majolica. Asmall room is dedicated to GiovanBaptist De Rolandis, the inventor ofthe ‘tricolore’ national flag, born justa few metres from the castle, anotherroom to Giandouja, the mask ofPiedmont, born in Callianetto diCastell' Alfero in the 19th century.In the evocative cellars is the site ofthe Ethnographic Museum, L’Ciar (inPiedmont dialect, the light) a glimpseof the past country life, with thefaithful reconstruction of the domesticspaces, among which a classroom,and workshops dating back to thebeginning of the 20th century. Thecastle also houses an informationpoint and a restaurant.For Information: Municipality ofCastell’Alfero Tel. 0141 40661www.castellalfero.netwww.museolciar.com.After a pause to admire the pano-rama from the garden and from theterrace, head towards Valle Versa.

of the largest in Monferrato. It has acharming and rich history of legendsand a very complex architecturalstructure: the four sti l l quiteidentifiable tower houses belongedto the families of the "cooperative"of feudal lords that owned it in

medieval times. Internally,medieval parts, among

which is the 14th

century room called ‘ofthe bifore’ (relating tot h e w i n d o w s ) ,alternate with rooms

dating from the 18th

and 19th centuries. The

Between the Valle Versa and theVal Rilate

The valley road was a route used byarmies and pilgrims in medieval timesand controlled by many castles.The first one that we see on the leftis the manor house of Frinco,continuing, we notice onthe right hand side thatof Colcavagno (todayused as a retirementhome) and then werise towards MontiglioMonferrato. The castleis imposing and was one

Montiglio Monferrato Castle

castle was the seat to the itinerantcourt of the Marquis of Monferratoand accommodated eminentcharacters and troubadours amongwhom, Rambaldo of Vaiquerais (atthe end of the 12th century) whowould have composed some songshere inspired by the daughter ofBonifacio I. The chapel of Sant'Andrea in the large garden concealsa small treasure, the most importantcycle of 14th century frescoes inPiedmont, work of the so-calledMaestro (teacher) of Montiglio. Thefrescoes represent the life of Christwith a theme "a continuous ribbon"almost like a sequence of photoframes, an absolutely unique wondernot to be missed.For information: Turist Office inMontiglio Tel. 0141 904006www.montigliom.at.itFrom Montiglio descend to PiovàMassaia to continue towardsCastelnuovo Don Bosco.A deviation to Passerano Marmoritois advised to see at least the outsideof the attractive castle.

The manor house that at one timeaccommodated the musicianSchumann, is a strong body ofconstructions dating between the12th and the 16th century, stillbelonging today to the family of theRadicati Counts who built it in the14th century and is one of the mostrepresentative in the Asti area. Itsgarden, identif ied among theHistorical Gardens of Monferrato,accommodates a rich vegetation,among which is a monumentalLebanon Cedar and a large sequoia.Next to the access tower there arethe buildings of the Zecca which isthe centre for the town Library anda chapel. From Castelnuovo go uptowards Moncucco Torinese. The

castle dominates the surroundingcountryside with its towers, the

panorama ranges from theMonferrato hills to those of

Turin, from the Supergato the alpine arch. Thefirst testimony to theexistence of the manorhouse is in an imperialdiploma of the year1154, but the presentMoncucco Torinese

Castle

Passerano MarmoritoCastle

building was realised between the14thand 15thcenturies with rewor-king and progressive enlargements.Here, in the 13th century Jacopoda Moncucco was born, the lastgreat preceptor of the Italian Orderof the Knights Templar before theirsuppression. It belonged to differentnoble families; in 1855 it wasacquired by the local municipalityand today accommodates theGypsum Museum in which theworkings and use of gypsum in ruralarchitecture of Lower Monferratobetween the 16th and 17th centuriesare illustrated. In Moncucco thepresence of gypsum quarries hasbeen documented since the 17th

century and this "poor" material wasused to realise priceless ceilings inpainted plaster still visible in manyresidences. For Information:Municipality of MoncuccoTel. 011 9874701 – 9874632www.comune.moncucco.asti.itReturn on the SS458 road in thedirection of Asti and after a fewkilometres on the left the smallmunicipality of Piea appears,dominated by the castle of the RoeroCounts who, in the beginning of the

18th century, transformed it into asumptuous residence, knockingdown the ramparts, creating thenoble floor and establishing the finegarden in the Italian style. In theinterior the large ball-room with thefrescoes of the Galliari brothers(1762), painters of the house ofSavoy, is especially interesting. Thecastle sometimes accommodatesantique auctions. For Information:Castle of Piea Tel. 0141 901641www.commune.piea.at.itA few kilometres further on towardsAsti the attractive crenellated tower

Piea Castle

Cortanze Castle

of the castle of the Roero of Cortanzeappears, that brings to mind the fairytales of captured princesses. Thelegend goes that the tower housedthe ghost of a young woman, ViolaMaria Galante, daughter of themarquis Ercole Roero, who died ata young age following a sad eventof love and death. Viola had fallenmadly in love with the young parishpriest (the bell-tower of the churchis actually facing the tower); after thekilling of this man (by the hand of therejected young woman or by theenraged father according to someversions) Viola, shut away in thetower, never found peace, not even

in death. Oddly her room is todaya suite of the hotel that is based inthe Castle. The splendid ground floorhas a large hall with groin vaults andthe whole building is surrounded bya fine park established in the secondhalf of the 19th century. Crossingover it one climbs onto the bastionsthat overlook a part of LowerMonferrato, a charming and still intactlandscape . For information:Municipality of CortanzeTel. 0141 901470 or Castello diCortanze Tel. 0141 690917www.castellodicortanze.itReturning by the main road, on theright hand side, one arrives at theturning for the small municipality ofSoglio. Arriving in the square of theparish church, we have opposite,the medieval facade of the castle,sole remainder of the 14th centurybuilding once owned by the Pellettafamily. In the 18th century the newproprietors transformed the insideand the south facade as a countryresidence, realizing also a small butinteresting Italian garden that is partof the historical gardens of Piedmont.The private castle is also a hotel andart centre.For information: Castello di SoglioTel. 0141 992805www.castellodisoglio.comHead for Monale (between Soglioand Monale in a few kilometres theCortanze - Castle of the

Roero of Cortanze

Castle of the Roero di Cortanzepanorama on Monferrato

castles of Cortazzone, Casasco,Cossombrato and Settime arise)where we find the Scarampi Castle.Cited in a document of the 12th

century it was destroyed during thewars between the Guelphs andGhibellines and rebuilt in the 14th

century by the Asinari family. Thestronghold then passed to the nobleScarampi family, rich bankers of Asti.The last representatives of theScarampi family of Monale were twosisters, Paola and Adele. Adele, awoman of great beauty, married theCount Carlo Gani, diplomat, philan-thropist and already Spanish consulto Turin. Since then the Castle hasbelonged to the Gani family whorestored it, recovering the medieval

parts and making available beautifulrooms for marriages, receptions,small meetings and artistic events.It is also possible to stay overnight.For information: Castello diScarampi Tel. 0141 669116www.castello-scarampi.it

Monale Castle

Soglio Castle

Between the plane of Villanovaand the Roero

Descending on the main road in thedirection of Turin, after Villanovad’Asti, turn for Poirino. On the righthand side, the building complex ofBorgo Corveglia appears: the castlewas built around the 15th centuryon the former structure of the hospitalof San Giacomo, held by theAugustinians and founded in the12th century. After the driving outof the monks, the castle and thereligious and agricultural buildingspertinent to the monastery fell intoa state of neglect. The complex,which has been subject to a longrestoration, is today an ‘agriturismo’.The vaulted room with attractivecolumns in brick and sandstone withsculpted capitals is spectacular.For information: Castello diCorveglia tel. 0141 948407www.castellocorveglia.comFrom Villanova we reach Cisternad’Asti passing by Ferrere. Here, inthe past there were actually 2

castles, both belonging to the Garrettifamily who exerted the investiturerights in an exclusive way. Todaythey both still exist although only awing and a medieval tower (housinga wine shop) remains of theCastelvecchio. The second, theCastelrosso, became a refinedresidence at the end of the 18th

century and traces of its westernside are still visible today.The nature trail in the park aroundthe Castelrosso is enchanting.For information: Municipality ofFerrere tel. 0141 922008.www.comune.ferrere.at.itAt Cisterna d’Asti the castle is builtin the inhabited centre with a high14th century tower. The older parts

date back to the 12th century andincluded the large water tank thatgives the name to the village and istoday visible in the large central hall.The building, in which one entersfrom the 15th century tower door,appears to be of the 17th century

following the transformation madeby the Dal Pozzo family, and from1980, it has accommodated theMuseo Arti e Mestieri di un Tempo(Traditional Art and Crafts Museum).Created to safeguard objects andtraditions of the life of country peopleit has become one of the mostimportant Ethnographic Museumsof Piedmont. To the sides of thecentral hall are faithful reconstructionsof labora to r ies shops andworkshops, and in the cellars is the

Villanova d’AstiCorveglia Castle

Cisterna d’Asti Castle