Top 6 Castles around Stroppiana

The view of the castle of San Giorgio Monferrato is one of the most evocative panoramas of the Monferrato hills. The castle dominates the town from the top of a hill and stands out clearly in the surrounding landscape.

The mighty structure of the Castle of San Giorgio dominates the surrounding valleys. The central tower of the castle dates back to around the 9th century, and was built on a spur of rock essentially for sighting purposes. Later the tower was surrounded by four towers with the construction of a defensive structure. Later, a new body was built between the original tower and the towers to contain a larger garrison of soldiers. Later the castle was transformed into a residential palace and in the 19th century it was further expanded. In my opinion, the most singular aspect of the castle is that, starting from the foundation of the original watchtower and up to today, the castle has always been inhabited.

On the edge of a natural terrace of the Sesia river, in a short side street from Piazza Vodano you can admire the beautiful and solid tower that in ancient times was part of the medieval castle known as Torre dei Visconti, dating from the twelfth century. In compact red bricks, it has a square plan and is crowned by split battlements resting on a triple motif of sawtooth stones. In ancient times, a few small windows on either side served as light connections. The building was probably connected to the early medieval castrum of which traces have been lost: documents dating from the eleventh and thirteenth centuries indicate the fortified complex "Castro della torre".

The Visconti Castle in Vercelli, Italy, is a medieval castle that stands proudly in the heart of the city. Built at the end of the 13th century, the castle has undergone several transformations over the years. Today it serves as the seat of the Tribunal of Vercelli. The original design, attributed to Matteo Visconti, follows the classic pattern of the Visconti castles of the Lombardy plains: square, with towers at each corner, two entrances on opposite sides, and an inner courtyard. In addition to serving as a symbol of Visconti power over Vercelli, the castle also strengthened the city walls on the south side. Over time, the castle fell into disrepair, but was restored and adapted for various purposes. During the Franco-Spanish War in the 17th century, the castle was damaged during the Spanish siege of 1638. It served as a residence for the governors of Vercelli during the Napoleonic era and later housed the prison. Further restorations were carried out in the 20th century, allowing the castle to regain its original grandeur. Today the castle can only be admired from the outside and is used internally only for official state functions.

Giovanni II Paleologo, Marquis of Monferrato, ordered the current castle to be built and work continued until 1357. When Casale assumed the role of capital of the Margraviate of Monferrato and obtained the title of city in 1474, it also changed castle, seat of the court, after the restoration with the marquises Guglielmo VIII (1464-1483) and Bonifacio V (1483-1494). When Giovanni II Paleologo died, the Gonzaga of Mantova took control of Casale. The castle was strengthened by new military techniques, so the walls and the plan shape were adjusted so that it became hexagonal (which we can still see today). The towers were also strengthened and four new ravelins were added. At the beginning of the seventeenth century, the castle returned to its role as the seat of the court. The Dukes of Mantova, who were busy negotiating with Savoia, stayed there. Later it became the principality of Duke Carlo II Gonzaga-Nevers (1637-1665), who holidayed there many times with his entire court, which gave a boost to the cultural life in Casale. Due to the crisis of the Gonzaga dynasty, the castle was on the verge of decline. The city fell to Savoia in 1708 and the castle became a barracks. In the mid-19th century, Casale was fortified in preparation for a war against Austria and the castle became a defensive structure. The eastern ravelin was demolished, creating the current Piazza Castello, which became an open-air market zone. With the unification of Italy, the other three ravelins were also demolished.

10th century castle, now private for receptions and events. In the Castle Square there is the Town Hall (the building looks like a small church with a clock), on the ground floor there is the post office but above all there is a fountain with fresh water even in August

There are feelings of peace and silence.