Description:

Prestigious Castle for sale in Piemonte. The Luxury castle dating back to the XI century is located among the beautiful hills of Monferrato in the centre of Melazzo. The Castle retains the charm of its past dense of events and history. It dates back to the XI century when Melazzo used to be an Imperial fief of the D'Acquesana Counts, as the wrought iron coat of arms on each door remind. Count Guido, who was born in the castle in 1004, became Bishop of Acqui in 1034 and after his death in 1070, was proclaimed Saint and Patron of the Diocese of Acqui. The castle was strategically built over the sea access to defend the fief and the Episcopal authorities, the city of Acqui, Alexandria and the local Lords competed for it. Since the XIV century it became the residence of some noble sirs, empowered by the Marquis of Montferrato, who had its jurisdiction. The castle is linked to the history and the adventurous life of the the King Edward II Plantagenato, deposed King of England. He lived there for three years (1330-1333), as states a plaque placed in the Castle's Gallery by the Arnaldi in 1879. In 1878 Germain, a French academic, found in the departmental archives of the Herault, a document which denied with no doubt the English historical tradition according to which the King was killed by two assassins, sent by his wife Isabella of France to the Barkley castle, where he was imprisoned. The document found by Germain testify that the King managed to escape and was hosted in Avignon by Pope John XXII, who then sent him to the Bishop of Milan that hid him in Melazzo. Because of its strategic importance, the castle was reproduced in the frescoes in the Gallery Of The Maps in the Vatican, as ordered by Pope Gregory XIII in 1580. During the Renaissance the castle was owned by the Counts Falletti. The poetess Eleonora Croce, wife of the count GiovanGiorgio Falletti, and heiress of the illustrious family De La Revoire (at the service of the Duke of Savoy), was lady of Melazzo manor, making it an important coterie of humanists for many years. In the later centuries the castle was owned by several local noble families (Gandolfi, Tarini, Arnaldi, Chiabrera). Its main body crosses the entire property in a north-south direction, dividing the external part it into two separate parks. The south park stretches from the parade ground to the guard road, protected by the original defensive crenellated wall with openings and slits, overhanging over the underlying imposing stone battlements of about 20 metres high. The view over the town and the Erro valley is extraordinary and enchanting. The total area of the estate consists of 6000 square metres of park and 2600 square metres of buildings, divided in different constructions height between 2 and 4 floors, attic and underground included. The construction is dated back to the XVI century, but it is based on a pre-existing medieval fortified house. The central tower constitute the main entrance. It is characterised by arched windows, with mullioned windows with suspended arches and brick decorations.

Melazzo is a small town of about 1100 inhabitants. It is in the municipality of Monferrato, within the province of Alessandria, at about 300 metres above sea level and near the major cities of the north-east Italy: Torino (107 km away), Milano (114 km), Genova (64 Km), Alessandria (39 Km). The hills on which Melazzo nestles are renowned for their excellent wine production such as the Dolcetto, Berbera, Freisa, Moscato and Brachetto. On its territory and on the border lands there are tree hunting preserves, with a valuable scenary and fauna. In the municipality there is also going to be constructed a goalf course along the Erro torrent.

Inside the castle there are cross vaults and original cotto floorings. The main stairs, which leads to the noble floor, is enriched by a valuable wrought iron. On the first floor, from the large hall and the evocative gallery, start a succession of lounges that constitute the main reception rooms of the Castle. In the third lounge there is a noticeable fire place in pink marble dated back from the XVII century. In the most ancient part of the basement, constructed over a contemporary to the external battlements building that is nowadays buried, there is the entrance to the former prisons and, in an adjacent room, the stone oven used in the ancient kitchen of San Guido (XI century). The large driveway gate, from which it is possible to reach the internal park, separates the building from the old outhouse where there were the servants' rooms and the stables, that overlook the hamlet with an impressive mullioned window. Since the '80s the Castle is, in summertime, an ideal location for romantic wedding receptions.

All the utilities are present. Energy class G.

Under verification.

Privately owned

The particularity and the beautiful location of the castle are ideal to start an accommodation business, but it could also be used as wonderful residence.