The castle of Serralunga d’Alba, in the province of Cuneo, is today considered one of the best-preserved examples of a 14th-century noble castle in Piedmont. Located on the ridge of the hill, it overlooks the village which stands at 415 meters above sea level, dominating the characteristic town and its famous vineyards, in one of the most interesting and rapidly developing tourist areas of the region.
The ancient manor is an indelible symbol of this landscape, immediately striking for the soaring and verticality of its Gothic architecture. In the 12th century – when the descendants of Boniface of Vasto, Boniface the Younger and Otto of Carretto, were the lords of the area – a tower overlooked and defended the village. After being purchased in 1190 by Manfred of Saluzzo, the fiefdom passed to the Falletti of Barolo, an important noble family of the Langhe: in 1340 Petrino Falletti demolished the tower, which gave way to the current castle.
Since its construction, very few modifications have been made to the building, which did not undergo serious military events and was never turned into a holiday residence, thus maintaining the structure of a medieval fortress unchanged. The castle played, more than a military role, a function of control over local productive activities, as demonstrated by its very slender structure aimed at emphasizing the prestige of the Falletti family. A unique case in the Italian territory of a donjon in the French style, it consists of several parts, including the Palacium, a compact and elongated block made up of large overlapping halls, a cylindrical tower featuring the most innovative characteristics of 14th-century military architecture, a square tower, and a chapel, a small space with a barrel vault and frescoes dating back to the mid-15th century depicting the Martyrdom of Saint Catherine of Alexandria. Inside, some large fireplaces and wooden ceilings are the only remaining testimonies of the original furnishings.
The castle was purchased by the State in 1949: important restoration works were then undertaken. Since 2015, it has been managed by the Piedmont Museum Hub.
Information about Castle of Serralunga d’Alba
Via del Castello, 1
12050 Serralunga d’Alba (Cuneo)
0173 613358
info@castellodiserralunga.it
https://www.polomusealepiemonte.beniculturali.it
Source: MIBACT
