Rooms with brick vaults and stone columns or coffered ceilings, large room with floors in ancient terracotta and a vast and well-tended garden rich in plants and flowers are the features of Castello di Vespolate, in the Novara province. The atmosphere is that of a building with a millenary history: there is certain information about it since 1053, when the Countess Adelaide, daughter of the Count of Parma and widow of the Count of Pombia, donated it to Rudolfo da Besate. It was then passed down by the Sforza family to the Farnese and by the Spaniards to the bishop of Novara. Subsequently, with the law of 1866 expropriating church assets, the castle and fortress of Vespolate were passed on to private individuals.

Castello di Vespolate

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The project involves the renovation of existing parts on the east and north sides of the Castle and the reconstruction of demolished parts, particularly the west and the south sides and the reconstruction of the tower in the main front on the square that, in historical time, has taken different form and size. The Castle is the new museum of the city of Novara.

In the North side as well as the refurbishment of all the spaces, the project includes the reconstruction of the tower on his ancient wall hidden under the pitched roof. The two walls of ancient tower are extended on left and right side leaving open a view of the square, monuments of the city, Baptistery and the Antonelli great dome of San Gaudenzio Church. This open viewpoint become the image of the new civic Tower of Novara. In the East side, the “Monicione” Tower has been rebuilt.

In the West part, that will be the second step of the project, the great roman wall is as a point of support for the new wing of the Castle. This extension recomposes the unity of the architectural complex in continuity with the ancient Visconti, Sforza and Spanish traces. At ground floor, the great archeological wall is a typological guide element. Outside, the front of the new building includes a fragment of medieval wall and enhances its presence, emphasizing the value of material reconstruction, the sign of stratification of uses.

It is emblematic considering that the project starts with a primary system, the Roman, and that supports its own evolution as following, every time, a logical unit of architectural process.

https://archello.com

Castello di Novara

Il Castello Sforzesco di Galliate (o Castello Visconteo Sforzesco) fu costruito dagli Sforza tra il 1476 e il 1496 su una preesistente fortezza viscontea. Rappresenta uno dei monumenti più significativi e conosciuti del novarese per magnificenza e unitarietà d'impianto. Occupa il lato settentrionale di Piazza Vittorio Veneto, nel cuore della città.
Cenni storici
Galliate fu da sempre un baluardo strategico dei milanesi contro Novara. Una prima fortificazione sorse probabilmente all'inizio del X secolo, durante il regno di Berengario I. Nel 1154 è testimoniata la distruzione di un castello da parte di Federico Barbarossa; nel 1168 lo stesso Barbarossa lo ricostruì, ma venne nuovamente distrutto pochi anni dopo dai novaresi. Fu poi Galeazzo Visconti che a metà del Trecento realizzò una nuova fortificazione, mentre nel 1413 Filippo Maria Visconti fece edificare la "Rocchetta", oggi scomparsa, ma ancora identificabile nella muratura, sulla cui base è stato poi innalzato il castello sforzesco.

L'attuale costruzione fu voluta dal duca di Milano Galeazzo Maria Sforza che affidò il progetto a un gruppo di architetti militari guidati da Ambrogio Ferrari e Danesio Mainerio. L'edificio sorse quasi di getto nel corso di un solo anno, ma l'improvvisa scomparsa del duca interruppe i lavori che furono poi ripresi e completati nel 1496 da Ludovico il Moro il quale fece modificare il progetto dal Ferrari, abbellendo le sale e aprendo ampie finestre, al fine di creare una confortevole residenza di caccia per la sua corte milanese.
Il castello di Galliate, nel suo progetto originario, segnò il passaggio dalla tipica residenza fortificata feudale, che aveva funzione abitative oltre che belliche, a una vera e propria rocca con funzioni eminentemente militari. Si ha notizia che il duca di Borgogna Carlo I, alleato di Galeazzo Maria, inviò a Galliate un'ambasciata per studiare il nuovo tipo di fortificazione.

Nel 1532 il castello passò in feudo al ramo Caravaggio degli Sforza il cui capostipite Giovanni Paolo I Sforza e i suoi successori si fregiarono del titolo di "Marchese di Caravaggio" e "Conte di Galliate". Durante il seicento, con l'occupazione spagnola, si ebbero varie trasformazioni che però non alterarono troppo la struttura originaria. Dopo un periodo di degrado durato quasi un secolo, nel 1878 il castello venne suddiviso tra vari proprietari che iniziarono delle opere di restauro adeguandolo al proprio utilizzo. La parte orientale fu acquistata dalle suore orsoline e adibita ad asilo infantile fino al 1968 quando fu permutata dal comune di Galliate con l'idea di realizzarvi la sede municipale, progetto poi abbandonato. Negli anni 90 del Novecento il comune acquisì anche tutta la parte occidentale mentre la zona centrale rimane tuttora divisa fra due proprietari privati.

Durante gli anni 70 del Novecento, a seguito della prima acquisizione del castello da parte del comune, fu avviato un restauro per riportare l'edificio all'aspetto che doveva avere nel XV secolo; furono quindi eliminate le coperture, ripristinato il camminamento superiore, eliminate le finestre esterne, ricostruiti i beccatelli ecc.. Quando fu acquistata anche la parte occidentale si preferì invece adottare il principio del restauro conservativo, questo è il motivo per cui in facciata si può osservare una netta differenza tra il lato sinistro e quello destro.

Castello Sforzesco di Galliate

The Visconti-Sforza Castle is a Middle Age castle located in the centre of the city of Vigevano, Lombardy, Northern Italy. In the 14th and 15th centuries, members of the Visconti and Sforza houses, lords and dukes of Milan, transformed a previous fortification into a vast family resort. The castle was part of a wider plan of urban development for Vigevano, which included the erection of other buildings and the construction of the central Piazza Ducale.
History
The Visconti-Sforza period
Luchino Visconti, Lord of Milan and ruler of Vigevano since 1337, began to transform the existing fortification into a local residence for his family. The construction was continued by Gian Galeazzo Visconti, first Duke of Milan, and completed by his heirs, Ludovico il Moro and his grandchild Gian Galeazzo Sforza. Donato Bramante had been working on the project of the castle. Leonardo Da Vinci is known to have frequented Vigevano and supposedly attended to the works.[2][3] The castle was completed in the last years of the 15th century.

The result was a wide resort covering a surface of 70,000 square meters. The castle consisted of several buildings arranged elliptically and serving different purposes. The imposing main body (Maschio or Ducal Palace) had a U-shape plan with the two wings facing the center of the courtyard of the castle. The Ladies' Palace (Loggia delle Dame), built by Bramante, was reserved to the Duchess and the ladies of the court. A building for the breeding of falcons (Falconiera) and stables for horses (Scuderie) were also part of the castle. The Falconiera was connected to the Ducal Palace through a loggia elevated over the ground. The tower of the castle (Bramante Tower) was modelled after that of the Milan Castle, designed by Filarete. Raised to be visible from the center of Vigevano, it was completed in 1491.

Visconti-Sforza Castle (Vigevano)

Il castello di Gambolò (o castello Litta) è una roccaforte presumibilmente risalente al X-XI secolo, situata nell'omonima località, in provincia di Pavia. 

Castello di Gambolò

The Visconti Castle of Vercelli is a Middle Age castle located in the center of Vercelli, Piedmont, Italy. Erected at the end of the 13th century, it underwent subsequent transformation to be changed in its use. Today it is the seat of the Tribunal of Vercelli.[1]

History
The castle was built by order of Matteo Visconti of Milan around the year 1290, probably on the ruins of a previous buildings. During the Visconti regime in Vercelli it had been the seat of the podestà. In 1427 the Visconti handed over the city, and with it the castle, to Amadeus VIII, Duke of Savoy. Occasionally it was used by the Savoy as their residence. The blessed Amadeus IX, Duke of Savoy died there in 1472.

It was damaged during the Spanish siege in 1638. Since the 19th century it had been used as the Vercelli prison. Further transformation were done in the 20th century to transform it into the seat of the Vercelli Tribunal.

Visconti Castle (Vercelli)

The Visconti Castle of Abbiategrasso is a Middle Age castle located in Abbiategrasso, Metropolitan City of Milan, Lombardy, northern Italy. It lies on the axis of the Naviglio Grande and from its tower the navigation along the canal toward Milan could be controlled. In the 15th century it was one of the preferred places of residence of the dukes and duchesses of Milan.

History
The Visconti Castle of Abbiategrasso was probably built at the end of the 13th century on the site of a previous fortification (castro Margazario) near a Benedictine monastery. It was enlarged by Azzone Visconti (1329-1339) and Gian Galeazzo (1378-1402). In 1438 it was restored and embellished by the Duke Filippo Maria and – lost every defensive function and easily reachable by water along the Naviglio Grande – it became his favorite country mansion.

To the castle had some inclination the duchesses of Milan. Here (as an alternative to Cusago) had a stable residence Agnese del Maino, mistress of the Duke Filippo Maria and mother of Bianca Maria. The Sforza, dukes of Milan and descendants of Bianca Maria, favored the castle of Abbiategrasso to enhance their Visconti origins.

After the Visconti-Sforza period, the castle progressively assumed again the role of a stronghold, especially during the years of the Italian Wars (1494-1559). In 1658 three towers were demolished and the fourth was cut off. In 1862 it was sold to the municipality, which in the following years obliterated the ramparts to make place to the new train station, at the same time taking care of some restorations.

Visconti Castle (Abbiategrasso)

The Castle is the last fragment of a wall dating from the ninth century building. The first references to the castle are in a narrative of Wippone of 1037. Today's complex only has some original parts and is the result of careful restoration work of architect Piero Portaluppi in the years 1941-1942. The internal colonnade to the garden and the apse of a door from a monastery of Stigmativi of Verona, date back to the sixteenth century.
After traveling the long driveway framed by trees and flowers, you get to the castle.
A charming tower and an old porch with decorations and original inlays welcome guests.
The whole structure is set within a huge verdant park of 1,000 square meters dotted with statues and ancient sculptures.

Castelletto (Corbetta)

CASTELLO DI PROH
The Counts of Biandrate were the first to build a fortress in the hills, known as Castellaccio, where there is also the small Parish Church di San Silvestro – originally built in the 15th century and reworked in the Baroque style – as well as the remains of the surrounding wall and tower. The 15th century castle with large circular towers and a pinnacle, property of the Caccia family and then of the Cattaneo di Cavaglietto, was the first defensive bulwark on the road from Novara up towards Valsesia. Destroyed during the war between the Visconti of Milan and the Marchese of Monferrato, the manor fell under control of the Caccia of Mandello Vitta and finally under the Cattaneo of Cavaglietto who held onto it until the beginning of the 19th century.