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Wonder
Wonder  }  Fortresses and castles

The Castle of Piovera

A place right out of a storybook

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Where is

Piemonte

Castello di Piovera, Via Balbi, 2/4, 15040 Piovera AL, Italia (0m s.l.m.)

Directions
map

What it is and where it is

Bricks, plaster, towers, battlements, cornices and friezes. This is the spectacle offered to those who approach the Castle of Piovera, which rather than an ancient manor, looks like the figment of a visionary stage designer's imagination. One does not even need to cross the bridge that leads to its entrance to be left gazing at it open-mouthed, dumbfounded by the quantity of details, shapes and colors that succeed one another on its facade. And if you look at it from behind, you add one more detail: the mighty walls at its base, solid and sober, which then fade into the imaginative play of the upper part of the structure. A jewel that thrills just by looking at it.

Why it is special

Piovera Castle is a private structure, but thanks to its owners, the Counts Calvi di Bergolo, it is possible to visit it while witnessing the telling of its magnificent history. Three tour routes have been provided that not only show the castle's rooms, but also highlight historical and cultural aspects related to it and the eras it has passed through. The first route, for example, takes place "Between Culture and Nature," taking visitors to the park and different environments, including the Museum of Ancient Crafts. To this can be added the second route, dedicated to "Journey through Time," which takes place between the ground, first and second floors, accompanied by the materials collected in different eras by the castle's inhabitants, both as items of curiosity and as actual objects of use. The castle thus becomes a kind of time machine, a tale of itself and its inhabitants through the centuries.

Not to be missed

The third tour route is perhaps the most exciting, which is also why it makes use of the accompaniment of a guide. In fact, it is she who we will ask, "Tell me about the castle," and together we will set off on this journey of discovery of life in the castle in the round: from the service rooms to those on the main floor, and the luxurious rooms of the family and its guests, to the tower that towers over the surrounding panorama. Who knows, if we have cast ourselves well in the part, arriving up here we will see not a landscape, but our estate stretching out at our feet.

A bit of history

Built in the 14th century on pre-existing defensive structures, Piovera Castle followed the destiny of its territory, passing over time under different dominations: at first there were the Visconti, with the Duchy of Milan; in the 1500s we find the Spanish, a period in which, having been given as a gift to a Spanish nobleman, the territory acquired the rank of marquisate. With some change of ownership it returned to Italian hands, with the Balbi family. In the 1700s Piovera was a fief of the Kingdom of Savoy. It was precisely the Balbi family, who retained ownership until the 20th century, who carried out the renovations and modernization of the castle, bringing the medieval structure to an elegant and exciting romantic country home. Since 1967 it has been owned by Count Niccolò Calvi di Bergolo, who enthusiastically promoted the opening of the castle to visitors.

Curiosities

Piovera Castle is more alive than ever, and offers a multitude of truly impressive events and experiences-there is something for everyone! From bike rentals to visit the park, to an escape-room for group play, through festivals, exhibitions, and concerts made even more exciting by the castle's beautiful setting.

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Recommended by
Alessandra Lana

It looks like an enchanted castle, yet it's here, it's real, and going inside to visit it is a taste!

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