Castello della Manta is a castle at Manta near Saluzzo, Province of Cuneo, region of Piedmont, in northern Italy.

The original building, dating from the 12th century, was later enlarged and transformed into a noble residence by the Saluzzo della Manta family, margraves of Saluzzo.

Among the numerous rooms, the Baronial Hall (Salone Baronale) is notable for the fresco cycle decorating its walls, a rare masterpiece of Late Gothic painting in northern Italy. The work is attributed to the anonymous Master of Castello della Manta. The cycle, completed soon after 1420, portrays the Nove Prodi, the Nine Worthies with their female counterparts. The artist may have used as models members of the House of the Margraves of Saluzzo. The figures are shown wearing precious contemporary clothing. Also depicted is the so-called Fountain of Youth, a theme taken from the tradition of French medieval stories. The scene is inspired by the poem by Marquess Thomas III of Saluzzo, Le Chevalier Errant).

The Sala delle Grottesche was decorated in the Mannerist style of the 16th century, and was commissioned by Marquess Michele Antonio around 1560. It has a finely painted ceiling, decorated with stuccoes, grotesques, ancient ruins and buildings.

Annexed to the castle is the church, whose apse has a series of frescoes about the life of Christ dating from the same time as the Baronial Hall decorations.



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La Castiglia era la residenza privilegiata e fortificata dei marchesi di Saluzzo, appartenenti al ramo Del Vasto degli Aleramici, dal 1175 al 1548 regnanti sull'omonimo marchesato che, conteso fra il regno di Francia ed il ducato di Savoia per la sua strategica posizione, lottò per il dominio sul Piemonte. La rocca domina tuttora il panorama della cittadina.
La salita al castello, antico sito commerciale, poi sede del potere civile e marchesale del borgo trecentesco, conduceva alla fortezza, ed era caratterizzata da una teoria di dimore gentilizie e dal palazzetto della Zecca (probabilmente un deposito, giacché l'officina monetaria del marchesato si trovava a Carmagnola). Davanti al torrione circolare e al portale d'ingresso fu collocata nel Settecento la fontana della Drancia, realizzata nel 1481.

Edificata originariamente come roccaforte per volere del marchese Tommaso I (1244-1296) tra il 1271 e il 1286, unitamente alla prima cinta muraria, al fine di rimpiazzare l'antico castel Soprano. L'appellativo Castiglia derivava forse dal fatto che nel luogo esisteva un certo numero di fortificazioni: castella, parola latina con il significato di castelli. L'ubicazione sul punto più alto del paese assicurava la ricerca di riservatezza da parte della famiglia reggente che, in ogni caso, poteva vigilare in modo esauriente su tutto ciò che succedeva nella parte bassa.

Nel corso dei secoli la rocca subì radicali ampliamenti, a causa della crescente importanza conquistata dal marchesato: fu munita di quattro torrioni collegati da solidi baluardi, di ponte levatoio e circondata da un ampio fossato. Nel XV secolo, inoltre, in considerazione di un propizio periodo contraddistinto da pace e benessere, il marchese Tommaso III (1336-1357) fece compiere decisivi lavori per convertire la fortezza in dimora gentilizia, degna della casata che vi risiedeva.

Nel 1492 il sovrano di Saluzzo Ludovico II (1475-1504), in occasione del suo secondo matrimonio con la francese Margherita di Foix-Candale (1473-1536), in suo onore, prima che arrivasse in città, ordinò l'erezione del massiccio torrione rotondo, sopravvissuto fino ad oggi, e fece affrescare le stanze di rappresentanza come si confaceva a una dimora signorile del Cinquecento (tali opere non esistono più).

Dopo la morte del consorte, Margherita, attraverso l'avvicendamento al potere di quattro suoi figli (Michele Antonio, Giovanni Ludovico, Francesco e Gabriele, ultimo marchese), esercitò un ruolo determinante sugli affari del piccolo Stato. Si trasferì, tuttavia, dalla Castiglia al castello di Revello che diventò la sua residenza preferita.

Estintasi nel 1548 la dinastia regnante, il territorio saluzzese fu annesso a regno di Francia e, nel 1601, al ducato di Savoia. Iniziò per la rocca un periodo di inarrestabile decadenza durata fino ai giorni nostri. Fu variamente adibita a sede del presidio militare francese, poi sabaudo, ad abitazione di personalità governative, a ricovero per malati ed, infine, a temuto carcere fino al 1992. Nel 2002 il Demanio la diede in comodato al comune di Saluzzo che procedette ad attenti restauri con l'intento di una destinazione museale.

Nei primi anni dell'Ottocento la Castiglia era soltanto un castello abbandonato, riprodotto su stampe e disegni di alcuni artisti. Si procedette all'abbattimento e a drastiche modifiche di importanti sue parti, furono devastate le pitture quattrocentesche. Per avere un'idea di come fosse in origine, esternamente ed internamente, è opportuno ammirare le litografie che lo rappresentano o leggere il capitolo in cui lo descrive lo scrittore Delfino Muletti nella sua monumentale opera sulla storia del marchesato.

Grazie ai restauri avviati nel 2006, il complesso ha aperto al pubblico, dedicando la maggior parte dei suoi locali agli spazi museali, ad eventi di promozione culturale e turistica e ad un ristorante. Al piano terra si trova la collezione permanente IGAV dedicata all’arte contemporanea, con la quale la Castiglia è entrata a far parte dei “luoghi del contemporaneo”, individuati dal Ministero dei Beni e delle Attività Culturali e del Turismo. Sito al terzo piano, il Museo della Civiltà Cavalleresca presenta la storia del Marchesato di Saluzzo a cavallo tra 1100 e 1500. Dalla chiusura del carcere (1992) l’edificio ospita al piano interrato, nei locali del vecchio penitenziario, il Museo della Memoria Carceraria 

La Castiglia

Casa Cavassa is a Renaissance-style palazzo in Saluzzo, region of Piedmont, Italy, and the site of the city’s museum, the Museo Civico Casa Cavassa. It is situated in the San Martino village.

History
Casa Cavassa was the residence of Galeazzo Cavassa and his son Francesco, members of a family (ennobled in 1460) native of Carmagnola and both general vicars of the marquisate of Saluzzo. Traces of a building dating back to the Middle Ages can be found in the basements and in the ogival windows of the façade overlooking Via San Giovanni. Since 1505 it became ownership of Francesco, vicar first during the rule of Ludovico II of Saluzzo (died 1504) and then during the Marguerite of Foix’s regency.

Francesco Cavassa refurbished the building in a Renaissance style based on the new trends of the contemporary Padan area. After the restoration and enlargement, the layout took the semblance of an L, with the bodies joined by spiral stairs. The edifice took advantage of the sloping ground in order to extend over six floors, three underground included kitchens, cellars and servants’ rooms, while the reception halls and the private apartments were on the upper floors.

A rapid dilapidation started when Francesco, hostile to the new Marquis Giovanni Ludovico, was confined for political reasons and died a violent death. The edifice remained to the Cavassa heirs until the 18th century; later the house was divided into private apartments and the deterioration of the structures increased.

In 1883 the edifice was purchased by Marquis Emanuele Tapparelli d’Azeglio (nephew of the writer Massimo), a cosmopolitan diplomat, a lover of art and antiques. The Marquis entrusted Vittorio Avondo (painter, collector and future director of the Museums of Turin) and the engineer Melchiorre Pulciano with the restoration. They tried to recover the Renaissance appearance of the edifice, supported by numerous workshops located in Saluzzo and following the principle known as “completion according to style”: eliminated of what was considered irrelevant and addition of what thought to be necessary in a 16th-century maison.

For the fitting out of the chambers, which had been deprived of their original furnishings during the pillages following Francesco Cavassa’s death, many objects of art were acquired, some documenting the Cavassa family, others dating back to the 15th or 16th century and coming from the antique market or bestowed by collectors. Then, in order to complete the decor, the Marquis commissioned creation of pieces of furniture which could reproduce Renaissance and late Gothic works of art.

At Tapparelli d'Azeglio's death in 1890, the municipality inherited the edifice and opened it to the public the following year. The present arrangement, as far as possible, replicates one projected by Marquis Tapparelli, which was recreated on the basis of the inventory drawn up by the notary Gullino in 1890 (after the Marquis' death) and according to some photographs taken at the end of the 19th century restoration works. Later some important works of art have been added to the Tapparelli collection.

Casa Cavassa

Not too far from Busca, on a small hill, the castle of Roccolo rises up, surrounded by its splendid park. It was built in 1831 by the Marquis Roberto Tapparelli d’Azeglio, the brother of the more famous Massimo, who wanted to personally oversee the project without relying on the advice of professional architects. The castle, which owes its name to the “roccoli”, that would be the nets used to trap birds, was built to be a lovely vacation spot during the hottest months of the year. Sensitive to the fashion of the time, Roberto D’Azeglio was inspired by the Neo-Gothic and Romanesque styles and harmoniously blended them in Moresque arches, Ghibelline ornamentation, rose windows, and floral decorations. The great park which surrounds the castle, unique in its kind, spreads out for 500,000 square meters, bringing together the garden’s two aesthetic conceptions: the more Classic conception with descending terraces on the main side and a more Romantic conception where nature is left free to express itself in lakes, small falls, and scenic walkways. Recently, the falls and the monumental greenhouse, which oftentimes hosts flower and plant exhibits, were restored.

https://www.piemonteitalia.eu

Castello del roccolo

The Castello dei Solaro, at 40 Km from Turin, is a historic home of the 1200, built by the noble Princes of Acaja as a military outpost against the powerful marquisate of Saluzzo. The castle is today an elegant one location for private events and weddings in the province of Cuneo. Over 20 years of activity more than 2500 weddings have been organized.

The location has multiple spaces both internal and external which make the ancient manor house perfect for any solution or need.

the interior has dirty 5 different from the intimate "Sala Rosa" with a maximum capacity of 50 covered up to the "Corte degli Acaja" that arrives to host almost 400 guests.

The castle is substantially divided into 2 main areas: "La Dimora" and "Le Scuderie"
"La Dimora" is composed of the "Sala Filippo d'Acaja" frescoed with paintings of 1700 on the shades of blue and with an underlying box of the 1400 in national walnut wood, usually used in winter or in bad weather to take advantage of welcome drink "The court of the Acaja" used for numerous weddings because it was obtained inside the courtyard of the castle with a large window 20 meters wide and 6 height that fits directly on the large park.

"Le Scuderie" are composed of the "Sala Silvio Pellico", named after the illustrious guest who stayed there, they have boxes in national walnut wood and decorations dating back to 1400
"La Scuderia" barrel room with suggestive ligt design with led lights, containing up to a maximum of 160 covered.

But of course for the most demanding it is possible to have the entire Castle available for one day only by Princes!

All solutions include a second floor A in case the weather is not lenient so you can not use the park.

Outside in the park of 15000 square meters between flowerbeds, fountains, statues and suggestive led night lights you can make a civil marriage with legal value, then go to the aperitifs and of course take advantage of the majestic park to take pictures for the double book having a unique setting as in Fairy tales ... that of a medieval castle!

the kitchen is strictly internal, led by ours Chef Daniele Rivoira, Specializing in dishes of our territory, "Le Langhe", with the guarantee of over 20 years of activity at high levels, with the possibility of customization and dishes for allergies, intolerances or various needs

The history of the Castello dei Solaro
There is not a certain date on its first construction but is found in a document dating back to 1259 in which Oberto di Villanova swore loyalty to the Marquis Tommaso I of Saluzzo but already in the 1295 Filippo di Savoia prince D'Acaja received it as a gift from his Uncle Amedeo V of Savoy immediately became of fundamental importance as an outpost against the powerful Marquisate of Saluzzo.

so in the 1295 up to the 1299 was fortified with protruding towers to better protect the walls and a wide ditch that required a year of excavations with the help of the men of the Savoia of Turin.

Before the death of Filippo d'acaja in the 1334 an act was found in which it was given to the Marquises of the Carretto to the Family of the Falletti, the latter in 1335 bought the missing part for 3000 fiorini d'oro.

In 1362 was sold to the sum of 21000 gold florins to the family of Solaro, the Solaro branch of the Lords of Govone constituted one of the most powerful and wealthy families of Asti and that gave the current name to the town of Villanova Solaro where it stands center of the country.
in the 1505 Bartolomeo dei Solaro the work began to make the castle more graceful

The last heir was the Countess Euphrasia daughter of the Count of Villanova Clemente Andrea who had a daughter but who died at 15 years in the 1835
In the 1832 the Countess Euphrasia hosted Silvio Pellico, who, as a veteran of the Spielberg prison, read to some friends the first chapters of the famous book "My Prisons".
The Countess embellished the Castle by demolishing the East wing of the manor and 2 of the 4 towers, she also completed the park with a large avenue of lime trees and the current masonry belt.

The Vitale family was the last private family to own the Castle, at the death of the 2 brothers Vitale left in testament that the structure should serve as a hospital for the poor chronic sick born in this municipality and in those around
In the 1908 he opened the "S. Vincenzo Ferreri "who closed its doors in the 1927, remained in the community until the 1980 then closed completely for security.

In 1995 in agreement with the IPAB that had the rights on the Castle and the Ronco family decides to turn it into a hotel and after 2 years of restoration in 1997 opens the restaurant "Castello dei Solaro" from 2001 the property passes to the firstborn Danilo Ronco and his wife Loredana.

https://www.dimorestoricheitaliane.it

Castello dei Solaro


Il castello dei Principi d'Acaja è un edificio storico di Fossano, in provincia di Cuneo; si staglia maestoso nell'omonima piazza della cittadina caratterizzandone lo skyline. Simbolo della città, fu costruito al centro dell'antico borgo di Fossano, in posizione panoramica e ben difendibile, per volere di Filippo I di Savoia-Acaia.

La sua costruzione iniziò nel 1324 e già otto anni dopo, nel 1332, furono ultimate le strutture fondamentali. Alla sua edificazione lavorarono centinaia di operai; furono necessari 3.355.000 mattoni, 26.000 tegole, 19.861 carri di pietre.

Ospita l'Archivio Storico (con documenti antichi risalenti al Duecento) e la biblioteca civica.

Nel mese di giugno serve da ambientazione agli storici Palio dei Borghi e Giostra dell'Oca.

È inserito nel circuito dei "Castelli Aperti" del Basso Piemonte.
Storia
Estinto il ramo dei Savoia-Acaia nel 1418, la città ed il castello passarono sotto il dominio diretto dei Duchi di Savoia.

Il duca Amedeo VIII trasformò il castrum in palatium. Il castello mantenne le caratteristiche di fortezza, tanto che nel 1536 resistette per oltre un mese all'assalto dei francesi.

Nel Quattrocento furono realizzate l'aula magna o sala del trono, l'alloggio del principe, la cappella, le cantine ed il cortile con porticato a colonne in marmo bianco, i cui capitelli furono scolpiti da Gaspare Solari. Sul lato nord fu eretta la quinta torre per le cucine, i forni ed i servizi.

Dal 1500 al 1503 vi soggiornò Bona di Savoia, vedova di Gian Galeazzo Maria Sforza; la leggenda vuole che all'interno del castello si aggiri il fantasma della duchessa.

Nel novembre 1562 Emanuele Filiberto, alla presenza del cardinale di Lorena, del vescovo d'Orléans, dei signori di Allye e di Birague, firmò il Trattato di Fossano, che chiuse le ostilità con i francesi.

Alla fine del ‘500 Carlo Emanuele e la consorte Caterina d'Asburgo vollero le due torri ad archi ad ovest delle logge. Allo stesso periodo risalgono le decorazioni del pittore fiammingo Giovanni Caracca. Parzialmente conservata è una volta dipinta a grottesche.

Nella seconda metà del Seicento il castello fu trasformato in carcere. Nel 1689, 1800 Valdesi della Val Pellice vi furono rinchiusi: quasi tutti morirono di stenti. In seguito, il castello divenne un quartiere militare. Furono costruiti le caserme, le stalle, i magazzini del grano, nuovi corpi per ospitare le truppe. Dalla copertura del fossato si ricavò una piazza d'armi.

Nel 1860 furono edificate le torrette addossate alle torri, per consentire l'accesso alle celle.

Fino al 1943 il castello fu usato come reclusorio e caserma. Nel dopoguerra divenne rifugio per gli sfollati ed i senzatetto.

Nel 1960 la Soprintendenza ai Monumenti inizia i lavori di restauro che restituiscono al castello la connotazione cinquecentesca. Scompaiono gli edifici adiacenti e si recupera parte del fossato. Nel 1979 l'Amministrazione lo destina ai beni e servizi culturali.

Il castello dei Principi di Acaia è dal 1985 sede della biblioteca civica. Sono in consultazione oltre 100.000 volumi con un fondo storico di 20.000 volumi, arricchito nel 1998 dalla donazione di orientalistica di Mario Vallauri.

Il centrorete del sistema bibliotecario serve circa 30 comuni del territorio di Fossano-Savigliano-Saluzzo.

Nelle sale delle torri si trova la raccolta delle cartoline reggimentali, mentre il cortile interno e l'attrezzata sala polivalente accolgono durante l'anno manifestazioni storico-culturali.

Castello dei Principi d'Acaja

Complex of buildings of the Twelfth century composed of Castle, From Chapel of the nobility, from the custodian's dependence, from the stables and from ancient farmhouse of Soave, originally of the Savoia Acaja with defensive characteristics and as such fortified; from the eighteenth century it became a residential residence, characterized in the inner courtyard by the use of colored horizontal bands in style neogothic.

Inside a boundary wall that surrounds it in its entirety, stands the nineteenth-century park with interesting plot of "broderie" in toposso box and suggestive corners dedicated to hydrangeas, peonies and roses that adorn paths that immerse themselves in the shade of ancient trees up to the modern swimming pool.

The Castle, from Savoia Acaja was always transferred by inheritance to some of the most ancient and prestigious Piedmontese houses, from Petitti ai Solaro del Macello, Up to conti Filippi di Baldissero and Prunas Tola Arnaud of San Salvatore, whose direct descendant is currently a resident owner.

The Dimora can be visited by small groups by appointment.

The history of the Castello di Marchierù
The places where Borgo Soave and Marchierù were located were always desired, and the same origin of the name is linked to "marcio", wet; we are in fact in the zone of the "fontanili", places where the water of the stratums reaches the surface forming crystalline and clean pools that are maintained at a constant temperature of 12 / 16 degrees in every period of the year, allowing a continuous temperate irrigation.

The other hypotheses on the etymology of the name of Marchierù appear less reliable. For some it could come from "brand" as a borderland with the Marquisate of Saluzzo, as it actually was, but certainly there were never "Marquis of Marchierù".

Legendary would seem to derive from the ancient French "macheron" that is pile of rubble, the result of the invasion of Federico Barbarossa.

The first lords of Marchierù were the Lords of Barge but, with an act of 11 March 1251, all their goods in Soave were ceded to Thomas II of Savoy.

The Acaja, with a residential castle in Villafranca, preserved Marchierù for their descendants: so Filippo d'Acaja gave it as a dowry to his natural daughter Francesca, married to Antonio Bocchiardi.

From these the fief passed to the cousins ​​Petitti, sons of Beatricina d'Acaja, who kept it until 1482.

In the 1483 Marchierù he returned to the House of Savoy, and was assigned half in fief to Filiberto, of the illegitimate branch of the Acaja-Racconigi. and half to his sister Claudia, wife of Besso Ferrero, Marquis of Masserano.

It was however a short lordship, since already in the 1640 the castle and its lands passed to the Counts Solaro del Macello through the Solaro di Moretta whose family belonged Ottavia, the bride of Filiberto d'Acaja.

Later, by succession, the castle passed to the Cacherano heirs of Osasco and the Filippi di Baldissero until in the 1827 Count Vittorio Ignazio Filippi di Baldissero redeemed the entire property (which towards the 1750 had been incorporated in Commenda of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta ) from the cousin Policarpo Cacherano from Osasco.

That of the Filippi family was an ancient family, dating back to Alineo, viscount d'Auriate in the 878, one of the most illustrious of Cavallermaggiore; from the earliest times they covered countless civic magistrates and were in the 1583 Decurions of Turin.

To this family belonged Vittorio Antonio, in the 1736 aide of Campo del Principe Eugenio di Savoia in the siege of Vienna, Field Marshal of Austria, Commander General of the Imperial Cavalry and commander of the Army of Hungary.

Who brought the feud of Marchierù to the ancient splendor was Carlo Alberto Filippi di Baldissero, bearer of Genoa Cavalleria in the First War of Independence, godson and page of King Carlo Alberto of Savoy, member of the Royal Academy of Agriculture of Turin, architect of important innovations in the agricultural field, emulation of the cousin and friend of Camillo Benso di Cavour who often stayed in Marchierù, until beginning work on the irrigation network of the countryside surrounding his properties, concluded by his son Enrico.

His mother was Maria Canera di Salasco, Court Lady of Queen Maria Teresa, sister of Count Carlo Canera di Salasco, Chief of Staff of the Piedmont Army who signed the armistice which took his name from him, with which the end of the first War of Independence.

Enrico married Maria Arnaud of San Salvatore, descending from two of the most important French families, the Richelieu and the Gallifet.

The last heir of the Filippi, Camilla, was married to Count Vittorio Prunas Tola, and then to their firstborn son Severino, also an Academic Agriculture, through which the castle and the estate were received by the current owners.

https://www.dimorestoricheitaliane.it

The Castle of Marchierù

The Royal Castle of Racconigi is a palace and landscape park in Racconigi, province of Cuneo, Italy. It was the official residence of the Carignano line of the House of Savoy, and is one of the Residences of the Royal House of Savoy included by UNESCO in the World Heritage Sites list.
History
The first records of the castle are from around the year 1000, when Bernardino of Susa rebuilt an ancient manor, leaving it to Cistercian monks.

The castle was a possession of the margraves of Saluzzo and others starting in the 13th century, and in the 16th century was acquired by the House of Savoy. In 1630, Duke Charles Emmanuel I granted it to his nephew Thomas Francis, Prince of Carignano, founder of the Savoy-Carignano line. At this time, the castle was a high brick moated fortress with a square plan, four corner towers and a tall donjon (mastio) on one side.

Architecture
Emanuele Filiberto, Prince of Carignano, Tommaso's son, in the late 17th century, commissioned Guarino Guarini to transform the fortress into a pleasure residence. The architect erected the current central section where the court was, adding a pagoda-like roof. The two northern towers were replaced by pavilions with dome roof and square plan, provided with white marble lanterns. The gardens were also created.

In the late 18th century, Ludovico Luigi Vittorio of Carignano ordered a renovation of the interiors, enlarging the two southern towers, adding stucco and other neoclassical decoration; he also commissioned a new entrance, with 4 Corinthian columns and a triangular fronton, and the great staircase.
Charles Albert, a Carignano who eventually became King of Sardinia, further enlarged and embellished the castle to represent the splendour of the newly acquired reign. His court architect Ernesto Melano expanded the ancient square structure around the central section, added two side buildings connected to the façade pavilions, as well as another staircase on the southern side.

Here the last King of Italy, Umberto II, was born in 1904. Having received the castle as a wedding present in 1930, he proceeded to install in it the family gallery of some 3,000 paintings and historical documents regarding the Shroud of Turin.