Castello del Monferrato (UK)

Period: Giovanni II Paleologo the Marquis of Monferrato started the construction of the present castle, which ended by 1357. In 1469 Guglielmo VIII transformed it into a residence for members of the court

Present Use: Today it houses the Biblioteca dei Ragazzi “E Luzzati” (TN: a children’s library), it is an information point, it is the location of the Enoteca Regionale (TN: where prestigious regional wine is collected and sold), and it is also the venue for conferences and exhibitions

Façade: The building has an asymmetric, hexagonal plan with four corner towers and is surrounded by a moat. Above the main entrance, a symbol of the power of the nobility, a marble bas-relief depicts the family arms of those who ruled the Monferrato: the Aleramos, the Paleologis and the Gonzagas. All the parapets have embrasures

The Interior: After the glories of the past the Castle was used, from the tenth century as the headquarters of the military district. In 1965 the Castle became a military deposit. The progressive deterioration of the structure was in part resolved by the maintenance work done by the military commander and the young soldiers doing their military service. The Castle was abandoned by the military between 1982 and 1983.  The Municipality of Casale, who in the meantime had become the owner of the structure, began work in 2001 to restore the Castle, so that it could be reused and re-qualified for other use

More info: www.comune.casale-monferrato.al.it/castle