Monteu da Po Castle () is a castle located in Monteu da Po,

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 castle does not appear to have been built before the year 1000, as an imperial document from 996 granted the "Plebem Monticuli" to the Canons of Vercelli without mentioning any fortification, suggesting that the castle had not yet been constructed. However, its existence is documented in 1186 when

Frederick Barbarossa Frederick Barbarossa (December 1122 – 10 June 1190), also known as Frederick I (; ), was the Holy Roman Emperor from 1155 until his death in 1190. He was elected King of Germany in Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned in Aachen on 9 March 115 ...

, through a decree issued on March 5, granted Ottobono, Count Radicati, the investiture of various lands, villages, and castles, including Monteacuto, now known as Monteu da Po. The feudal history of the castle is recorded in the register of Piedmontese fiefs. Initially, Monte Acuto was part of the "County of Monferrato" before coming under the control of the lords of Brozzolo. On April 16, 1300, Giovanni, Marquis of Monferrato, acquired a portion of it and granted it in fief to Antonio, Count of Biandrate, on May 17, 1304. In 1306, ownership passed to the Paleologi, who later returned it to the Biandrate family. The history of the castle's ownership continued through numerous transfers up to the present day.

Description

The castle are located on the highest hill in the area, offering a commanding view of the valley that includes

Lauriano Lauriano is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Italy, Italian region Piedmont, about northeast of Turin. Lauriano borders the following municipalities: Verolengo, Monteu da Po, San Sebastiano da Po, Cavagnolo, Ca ...

, Monteu da Po, Brusasco, and Cavagnolo. This strategic position also provides control over the section of the

Po River The Po ( , ) is the longest river in Italy. It flows eastward across northern Italy, starting from the Cottian Alps. The river's length is , or if the Maira (river), Maira, a right bank tributary, is included. The headwaters of the Po are forme ...

that runs through these territories. Today, the remains of two square-shaped towers are still visible. The oldest tower is built entirely of bricks, with sandstone blocks interspersed at the foundations. It was accessed via a removable staircase through an arched doorway located five meters above the ground.

References

External links

Castles in Piedmont {{improve categories, date=March 2025