In each document, leaflet or postcard that speaks of or shows Dolceacqua, its castle is always called “Doria castle” as a reminder of the last and most famous lineage that owned it
In each document, leaflet or postcard that speaks of or shows Dolceacqua, its castle is always called “Doria castle” as a reminder of the last and most famous lineage that owned it. It is doubtless that the castle, as we can admire it now in its impressiveness, is the result of the expansion and improvements carried out by the Dorias, but its structure was certainly not always that of an elegant and refined dwelling with plastered and finely decorated towers.
The castrum, built in the 12th century, was constructed by the Counts of Ventimiglia, a lineage between the 10th and 11th centuries which, to create its fief, took advantage of a piece of land on the western edge of Liguria that had been freed from piracy.
The castle had two purposes: on the one hand it was a defence fortification in the case of possible attacks and on the other its strategic position made it possible to monitor the movements in the surrounding valleys.
As was normal, the Counts demanded taxes in the territory of Dolceacqua, administered judgement and above all could find refuge there when the continuous fighting with Ventimiglia made it necessary. This is witnessed by a document dating back to 1186, which tells the story of an attack on the village of Dussana by the people from Ventimiglia to the damage of Oberto, count of Ventimiglia.
This fortified structure, made simply of a circular tower and a smaller building in which the guard officer stayed, retained its original outline until the 15th century. This means that even though purchased by Oberto Doria in 1270, the family did not feel it opportune to immediately modify the original structure.
As already mentioned, not even a century after these events the head of the Doria family bought the Dolceacqua fief, but the strangeness of this purchase lies in the fact that it did not come directly from the Ventimiglia Counts. A document dated 07th September 1259 informs of the inability of Dolceacqua to pledge fidelity to Genoa without the authorisation of Lanfranco Balborino and Zaccaria del Castro, the new lords of the village.
These gentlemen probably did not buy the whole castle but only a part, as is witnessed by the subsequent documents, from which we discovered that in 1261 the Count of Ventimiglia still obtained taxes from Dolceacqua and the following year they still confirmed a pact and specific agreements made earlier with the count. We can therefore confirm that the passage to being Doria property was gradual, caused by the resizing of the countship of Ventimiglia from a political and territorial viewpoint.
GRATUITO
GRATUITO
GRATUITO
GRATUITO
Proprietà del Comune