Top 5 Castles around Vignole Borbera

Vargo has had a castle known since 1157, the year of the invasions of Barbarossa's troops, but this construction was actually built as a signal tower in the Lombard era and is part of the so-called line of castles documented by Pertica.

departure from Dario's bar (unfortunately we didn't meet him but the guy there was simply very kind) and collection of credentials

Vargo is a hamlet of the municipality of Stazzano (AL) at about 410 m above sea level. During the Middle Ages it was an imperial fiefdom under the Genoese families of Fieschi and then Doria. In 1797 it was annexed to the Ligurian Republic and after the fall of Napoleon it followed the fate of the province of Novi, becoming part of Piedmont in 1859 with the Rattazzi Decree. It was an independent municipality until 1928. Vargo has a castle known since 1157, the year of the invasions of the troops following Barbarossa, but this construction was actually born as a signal tower in the Lombard era and is part of the so-called line of castles. The town developed concentrically around the “castle”, rebuilt by the Fieschi family of Genoa, lords of Vargo since 1413: after the conspiracy against the said feudal lords, it was dismantled in 1442, and later passed to the Doria family in 1547. Next to what must have been the south-east walls, there is still an oratory dedicated to the Virgin of the Annunciation, while today the once fortified structure is partly used as a residence, and the very visible main tower, inside which are the living quarters of the last owner, has not been altered.

Symbol of Arquata, it is located on a hill overlooking the valley, it is approximately 22 meters high and built in Montaldero stone. It was part of the Castle, of which a few ruins of the mighty walls that sloped down from the hill and surrounded the old village and part of the walls of the keep that surrounded it are still visible. The Castle of Arquata had considerable strategic importance, so much so that it was disputed between many cities, but above all by Genoa and Tortona. But when Tortona managed to definitively take over the village of Arquata, purchasing it in 1244, a condition of stability was reached. The castle was rebuilt with the elevation of a tower and a new village at the base of the hill, close to the ancient Via Postumia, all surrounded by defense walls. As time passes, the strategic importance of the castle with its tower diminishes, and as it is a predominantly military structure, it is gradually abandoned. As the centuries passed, the old, increasingly dilapidated tower was struck by lightning which made its static nature even worse. In fact, on the morning of October 29, 1933, lightning struck part of the eastern corner, throwing large stones a great distance away.

The Torre Ratti castle is located in the hamlet of Torre Ratti in the municipality of Borghetto di Borbera, in the lower part of the Borbera valley, in the province of Alessandria. The lower Borbera valley was part of the Duchy of Milan for centuries and was enfeoffed by the Rati-Opizzoni family from Tortona.

The Castle of Torre Ratti, as cited in a document from 1413, was officially born with the concession as a fiefdom and the oath of loyalty made by the inhabitants of Borghetto di Borbera. In 1629, the square tower was added to the main structure and some internal changes were made. Subsequently, however, was the expansion carried out between the two towers and the construction of the rooms on the north side. The current appearance of the castle suggests that of a rich fortified residence, with late Renaissance and Baroque architectural features. An interesting Italian garden surrounds the architectural complex.

The castle of Novi Ligure is located near the historic center of Novi Ligure and was for centuries the extreme northern border of the Republic of Genoa. It is part of the "Open Castles" circuit of Lower Piedmont. Only the tower and some sections of the surrounding walls remain of the castle, which today delimit part of the large park. It was crowned by a Ghibelline battlement which has been lost but is still perceptible, despite the current covering with a tile roof.

Path from the village of Sorli to the castle Not pedalable..very steep climb, large stones, wood and deep holes. The descent is also difficult...