Castello di Moncrivello History The Castle of Moncrivello dei Marchesi del Carretto is a medieval fortification located in a strategic position. Over time, it has been transformed and still retains all the refinement of a noble residence. The history of the castle sinks its origins until the year one thousand and the bitter medieval clashes between Guelphs and Ghibellines are part of its memories. Federico Barbarossa entrusted him to the control of the episcopate of Vercelli in 1152. It was then disputed by the Marquises of Monferrato, who took possession of it in 1243. Returned to the hands of the Vercellese church in 1300, it became a fief of the Fieschi family of the Bishops following the papal investiture of Boniface IX in 1394. In the XIII century Moncrivello already had a fortified fortress and, although it was sold to the town of Vercelli, it remained under the jurisdiction of the Vercelli diocese. In 1399, after a brief period of hegemony by Antonio Fieschi - of the Fieschi family of Genoa - unhappy to the point of provoking the onset of the people of the village, the jurisdiction passed to the Savoy, in the person of Amedeo VIII. At that time the stronghold maintained essentially a military role. The large quadrangular tower has been preserved from this period, with ornate windows in terracotta and machicolations, which, crossed by a driveway, leads into the courtyard of the castle. It was the energetic Iolanda di Savoia, also known as Iolanda di Francia, (1436 - 1478), wife of Amedeo IX of Savoia and daughter of Charles VII of France, who transformed the stronghold into a real noble residence. The castle of Moncrivello became the favorite residence of Jolanda; here the duchess died in 1478. From this transformation come the boundary walls decorated with dovetail merlons, and inside, the helical staircase, the coffered ceilings, the terracotta fireplaces. The renovation of the castle commissioned by Jolanda had just ended when the wedding was celebrated between Charles I of Savoy and Bianca di Monferrato (1472 - 1519) who, widowed in 1490 at only eighteen years, was then regent of the Savoy State. Charles II of Savoy called the Good (1504-1553) donated the castle to his bride, Beatrice of Portugal. With her he finished the period of maximum splendor of the castle: the fights between France and Spain caused its passage in the hands of men of arms; it was then long disputed during the seventeenth century among various Piedmontese noble families. A memorable episode was in 1650 the battle with which the attack by the Spaniards was rejected, thanks to its robust fortified architecture, and the sacking of Moncrivello was thus avoided. Passed definitively in 1692 to the Del Carretto family, it remained there until 1817 (or 1825) when the castle suffered a devastating fire. Then began a long period of degradation, completed in 1972 when it was rebuilt by private individuals. From 1972 began the restoration by the Cav. Giovanni De Francisco who allowed to open the castle to visits, cultural events and ceremonies. The castle can be visited today and is used for cultural initiatives and tourism promotion. The structure will welcome you in its elegant environments, so you can move between the charming medieval halls, with capacity for up to 150 guests, and the green of the park surrounded by crenellated walls. The church of the fifteenth century in the adjacent square and hill sanctuary nearby will welcome your ceremony in a unique setting. The Castle also offers the possibility of celebrating civil marriage with legal validity.

Nel XIII secolo Moncrivello già disponeva di una rocca fortificata e, pur essendo stato venduto al comune di Vercelli, rimaneva sotto le giurisdizione della diocesi vercellese. Nel 1399, dopo un breve periodo di egemonia di Antonio Fieschi - del casato dei Fieschi di Genova - infelice al punto da provocare l'insorgenza della gente del borgo, la giurisdizione passò ai Savoia, nella persona di Amedeo VIII. In quel periodo la roccaforte manteneva essenzialmente un ruolo militare. Di tale epoca si è conservato il grande torrione quadrangolare, con finestre ornate in cotto e caditoie, che, attraversato da un passo carraio, immette nel cortile del castello Fu l'energica Iolanda di Francia, detta anche Jolanda di Savoia, (1436 - 1478), moglie di Amedeo IX di Savoia e figlia di Carlo VII di Francia, a trasformare la roccaforte in una vera e propria residenza signorile. Il castello di Moncrivello divenne la residenza preferita di Jolanda; qui la duchessa si spense nel 1478. Derivano da tale trasformazione i muri di cinta ornati da merli a coda di rondine, e, all'interno, lo scalone elicoidale, i soffitti a cassettoni, i camini in cotto. La storia del Castello è particolarmente legata ad alcune nobildonne divenute spose dei duchi di Savoia. La ristrutturazione del castello voluta da Jolanda era appena terminata quando vi furono celebrate le nozze tra Carlo I di Savoia e Bianca di Monferrato (1472 - 1519) che, rimasta vedova nel 1490 a soli diciotto anni, fu poi reggente dello Stato Sabaudo. Carlo III di Savoia detto il Buono (1504-1553)[1] fece dono del maniero alla sua sposa, Beatrice del Portogallo. Con lei terminò il periodo di massimo splendore del castello: le lotte tra Francia e Spagna causarono il suo passaggio nelle mani di uomini d'arme; fu poi a lungo conteso nel corso del XVII secolo tra varie famiglie nobiliari piemontesi. Passato definitivamente nel 1692 ai Del Carretto, vi rimase sino al 1817 (o al 1825) quando il castello subì un incendio devastante. Cominciò allora un lungo periodo di degrado, terminato nel 1972 quando esso venne ricostruito ad opera di privati. Il castello è oggi visitabile ed è utilizzato per iniziative culturali e di promozione turistica.

GRATUITO - I giardini - La chiesa - Enoteca info@castellodimoncrivello.it - Proprietà privata, usato per il motrimonio ed eventi - Monumento nazionale

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