The Visconti Castle of Crenna is a

castle A castle is a type of fortification, fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by Military order (monastic society), military orders. Scholars usually consider a ''castle'' to be the private ...

medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with the fall of the West ...

origin located in Crenna, district of

Gallarate Gallarate (; Lombard language, Lombard: ''Galaraa'') is a city and ''comune'' of Alto Milanese of Lombardy and of Milan metropolitan area, northern Italy, in the Province of Varese. It has a population of some 54,000 people. It is the junction ...

Lombardy The Lombardy Region (; ) is an administrative regions of Italy, region of Italy that covers ; it is located in northern Italy and has a population of about 10 million people, constituting more than one-sixth of Italy's population. Lombardy is ...

Northern Italy Northern Italy (, , ) is a geographical and cultural region in the northern part of Italy. The Italian National Institute of Statistics defines the region as encompassing the four Northwest Italy, northwestern Regions of Italy, regions of Piedmo ...

. It is linked to the fame of

Lodrisio Visconti Lodrisio Visconti (c. 1280 – 1364) was an Italian condottiero. Biography He was the son of Pietro, of the powerful Visconti of Milan, and Antiochia Crivelli. After military training under his father, he helped his cousin Matteo Visconti an ...

, who raised against and then reconciled with the family members of his cousin

Matteo Visconti Matteo I Visconti (1250–1322) was the second of the Milanese Visconti family to govern Milan. Matteo was born to Teobaldo Visconti and Anastasia Pirovano. In 1287, Matteo's uncle Ottone Visconti, archbishop and first lord of Milan, nominate ...

Lord of Milan The Lordship of Milan was a state in Northern Italy created in May 1259 following the election of Martino della Torre as lord of Milan. From 1259 to 1277 it was governed by the Della Torre, Della Torre family until, following the Battle of Desio, ...

. In the 14th century, the castle underwent expansion and destruction according to the alternative fortunes of Lodrisio. Since the 19th century, a group of private estates, also in the revival castle form, have been constructed near the original building, characterizing the area today.

Location

The Visconti Castle is located on the top of a hill over the valley of the Arno torrent. The position favors the control of the territory to the east toward

Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...

. The location is believed to be at the origin of the initial settlements and fortifications.

History

The castle is mentioned for the first time in the 12th-century sources. At the end of the 13th century, it was received by Pietro Visconti with other nearby castles (Besnate, Orago, and Jerago) as part of a division between him and Matteo and Uberto, sons of Teobaldo Visconti. In the neighboring Gallarate, Teobaldo, after being captured by members of the opposite faction supporting the Della Torre family, was executed in 1276. The castle was inherited by Lodrisio, son of Pietro, who greatly expanded it. In the meantime, his cousin Matteo became Lord of Milan. After the death of Matteo in 1322, a conflict arose between his sons and Lodrisio. Lodrisio was dislodged from Crenna, and the castle was destroyed. After putting together the Compagnia di San Giorgio, a militia of mercenaries, in 1339, he was finally defeated in the

Battle of Parabiago __NOTOC__The Battle of Parabiago was fought in February 1339 near Parabiago, in Lombardy, northern Italy, between the Milanese army and the Compagnia di San Giorgio, St. George's (San Giorgio) Mercenaries of Lodrisio Visconti. A renowned condottie ...

by an army led by

Azzone Azzone (; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Bergamo in the Italian region of Lombardy, located about northeast of Milan and about northeast of Bergamo. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 458 and an area of .All dem ...

, grandson of Matteo. Lodrisio later reconciled with their cousins, and the castle was subsequently restored. The castle was later transferred to the Visconti di Crenna, the Visconti cadet branch originated by Lodrisio and named after Crenna. Over several generations, divisions among brothers led to the fragmentation of the area surrounding the castle. The building underwent changes and adaptations in the 16th and 17th centuries after further family divisions. New buildings, in the form of revival castles, were later added. The Visconti di Crenna became extinct in 1722, and the buildings were transferred consequently to other families.

Today

After the transformation of the late 19th and the first decades of the 20th century, the ancient castle's area is today surrounded by recent buildings. A tower and other revival caste constructions are visible from the center of Crenna. The eastern façade of the castle, looking toward Gallarate, can be seen from afar at the top of the Crenna hill.

References

Sources

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External links

Beni Culturali – Castello di Crenna, Gallarate (VA)''''ArteVARESE – I castelli di Caidate e Crenna''
{{Visconti of Milan Castles in Lombardy Gallarate