Castles, enchanted and austere places of charm and mystery, in which to stroll to breathe in History at the top of your lungs. Piedmont is a region rich in castles: traditionally, in fact, these buildings served as dwellings for nobles and for protection reasons were built on hilltops so that lookouts could spot enemies from afar.

Today, those days of knights and courtesans are over, and tthe high towers of the castles are wonderful vantage points from which to admire the colours of the hills and the small villages of Piedmont.

Piovera Castle stands on the remains of a monastery that belonged to the Templars and over the centuries has passed several times from hand to hand, without ever losing its beauty. From the Visconti to the Sforza, passing through the Spanish royals, it then returned to the hands of the Savoys; from here it passed to the marquises Balbi, whose name remained linked to the castle, and finally to Count Niccolò Calvi, the current owner. Today, it is possible to visit the castle by choosing from three different routes, all by reservation.

Per info e giornate di apertura: https://www.castelliaperti.it/it/strutture/lista/item/castello-di-piovera.html

https://castellodipiovera.it/

Unfortunately, all that remains of the Castle of Castelnuovo Calcea today are the ramparts and the watchtower: in fact, this area was over the years the site of bloody clashes between families of the most varied nobility, which very often destroyed entire portions of the castle. Today the whole area around the Castle has been turned into a public park: you can walk freely in the area and see the fascinating remnants of this turbulent past.

Guided tours are available on specific days. Trovi le date qui: https://www.castelliaperti.it/it/strutture/lista/item/area-del-castello-di-castelnuovo-calcea.html

Here we are not talking about nobility but clergy: the Castle of Monastero was originally a monastery. During the 15th century, a first defensive structure by the Marquises del Carretto; gradually, the entire small village of Monastero Bormida developed around the castle. Today this village can be reached by passing over the striking medieval bridge; what awaits you is a walk through History. The castle has elements of the 1500s and 1600s, with frescoed rooms and splendid walkways. A curiosity: Monastero Bormida is the birthplace of Augusto Monti, who in Turin was the professor and teacher of many intellectuals of the time, such as Cesare Pavese, Leone Ginzburg, and Tullio Pinelli.

For infos and openings: http://www.comune.monasterobormida.at.it oppure https://www.castelliaperti.it/it/strutture/lista/item/castello-di-monastero-bormida.html.

Costigliole d’Asti Castle stands atop the fortress, in the historic center of the village; a village with a long past, if we consider that the first inscriptions bearing its name date back to 1041! The history of the Castle is intimately linked with that of Monferrato; the first lords of Costigliole, the Lancias, descended directly from Aleramo, a knight at the court of Saxony and the legendary founder of Monferrato.

Over the years, the most important families of the area took over the Castle until 1625, when the conti Asinari found themselves sharing the title of Counts of Costigliole (and thus the Castle) with the family of Verasis. This will be very important for the Castle, which is thus divided into two separate parts: two souls therefore come together in the Castle, daughters of the tastes of each family and their common desire to excel and surpass the other in beauty, class and refinement. In short, a place full of stories and legends of the people who lived here, with all their virtues and human weaknesses; one of the most interesting castles in Monferrato to visit.

For infos and openings: https://www.castelliaperti.it/it/strutture/lista/item/castello-di-costigliole-dasti.html o http://www.comune.costigliole.at.it/