Foglizzo Castle
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Foglizzo Castle () is a castle located in
Foglizzo Foglizzo is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about northeast of Turin. It is part of the Canavese historical region. Foglizzo borders the following municipalities: San Giorgio ...
,
Piedmont Piedmont ( ; ; ) is one of the 20 regions of Italy, located in the northwest Italy, Northwest of the country. It borders the Liguria region to the south, the Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna regions to the east, and the Aosta Valley region to the ...
,
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
.


History

The origins of Foglizzo Castle likely date back to the late ancient period. In particular, during the Middle Ages, the castle served as both a defensive stronghold and a refuge, owing to its strategic position overlooking the village of Foglizzo and the surrounding plains. In 1140, Emperor
Conrad III of Germany Conrad III (; ; 1093 or 1094 – 15 February 1152) of the Hohenstaufen dynasty was from 1116 to 1120 Duke of Franconia, from 1127 to 1135 anti-king of his predecessor Lothair III, and from 1138 until his death in 1152 King of the Romans in t ...
granted Guido III Biandrate possession of Foglizzo. Guido III, a captain of the imperial militias in
Novara Novara (; Novarese Lombard, Novarese: ) is the capital city of the province of Novara in the Piedmont (Italy), Piedmont region in northwest Italy, to the west of Milan. With 101,916 inhabitants (on 1 January 2021), it is the second most populous ...
. In 1234, Guido's grandson, Pietro I, became the founder of the Foglizzo branch of the Biandrate family. He was granted dominion over Foglizzo, Balangero, and Mathi by the Marquess of Montferrat. During this period, the Biandrate family initiated the reconstruction of the castle, featuring an imposing perimeter wall. Later, houses were built against this fortification, forming a "ricetto" (a fortified shelter for villagers), which disappeared in the 18th century. The northwest wing of the castle, characterized by brick corbels, is the main surviving structure from the 14th century. In the 15th century, an additional three-story building was constructed on the northeast side, originally featuring a loggia, which was enclosed in the 19th century. The most significant architectural modifications took place in the 16th century. Guido Biandrate, known as "the Senior," and his nephew transformed the fortress into a lavish Renaissance residence. In the 17th century, the southern wing was built, incorporating two pre-existing towers. By the 18th century, the castle had lost its military function and was converted into a countryside residence, as the Biandrate family had permanently settled in
Turin Turin ( , ; ; , then ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. The city is main ...
. After the Biandrate family sold the castle to Turin-based merchant family, the municipality of Foglizzo purchased the building in 1855. From then on, the castle became a central hub for the town's administration and social life. It housed schools until 1970 and continues to serve as the seat of the municipal offices, the town library, and medical facilities.


References


External links

{{Castles in Canavese Castles in Piedmont Foglizzo