The Castle of Monticello d'Alba, located on a hill in the heart of the Roero, is one of the most impressive and best preserved medieval buildings in Piedmont and since 1376 belongs to the Roero Counts.
Castello di Monticello d'Alba History
The castle stands on a hill in Monticello d'Alba, a medieval town a few km from Alba in one of the most suggestive areas of Piedmont.
The castle is a massive four-sided construction whose structure is typical of the early Middle Ages. The facade is characterized by two towers on both sides, a square and a circular one, and by a staircase with a simple design. The Ghibelline battlements and the protective covers that frame the so-called "patrol walk" indicate the original function of the castle as a defense structure.
Built before the year one thousand, the castle was extensively modernized towards the end of the 1300s to take on the aspect that has lasted until today. Important restoration works commissioned in 1785 in homage to the taste of the eighteenth century, including the removal of the drawbridge, ditches and banks, the design of new gardens and the various modifications inside, did not alter the medieval architecture of the castle.
Beautiful examples of decorative art and interior furnishings of past centuries are the large interior rooms of severe and refined style.
Originally built as a defense of the County of Asti, the castle of Monticello belonged to the bishops of Asti, in the person of one of their vassals, until 1372.
From 1372 following the strengthening of the citizens of Monticello against the violent tyranny of the vassal Ludovico Malabaila. Help came from the counts of the Roero who led the castle to the head of the army.
In recognition of the assistance offered to the parish of Asti, the bishop renounced the feud of Monticello in favor of the Roeros who were robbed by Pope Gregory XI on June 4, 1372 and have remained the owners to this day.
In addition to guided tours, the castle offers a selection of traditional Piedmontese dishes, interpreted in a modern way and enriched with the exclusive use of the best raw materials, "zero kilometer", which reproduce the food and wine excellence of the region, Unesco heritage, of the Roero. A land famous all over the world for its meats, its wines, its typical products (such as mushrooms and white truffle) to be enjoyed in the Coero Roero guesthouse