Il borgo di Barolo è un luogo eccezionale, affacciato sulle colline e i vigneti delle Langhe, attrae i visitari non solo per il fascino delle sue vie e per i vini rinomati, ma anche per il bel Castello dei Falletti che si erge al centro del paese.
La prima fortificazione di cui si ha notizia sembra essere stata costruita a Barolo nel X secolo quando il feudatario locale ebbe il permeso del re Berengario I di erigere un edificio di difensa contro gli attacchi degli Ungari e dei Saraceni. Di quell'antica struttura medioevale oggi rimangono solo alcune tracce nel mastio e nella parte bassa della torre orientale.
Passato di proprietà prima del comune di Alba e poi della famiglia Falletti il Castello dei Falletti fu trasformato da maniero di difesa a residenza nobiliare e man mano ampliato nel corso dei secoli a scapito delle abitazioni presenti intorno ad esso.
Nel 1544 venne saccheggiato e rovinato dalla vicina Cherasco, ma Giacomo e Manfredo Falletti ripararono i guasti e apportarono modifiche che rimasero immutate fino al 1864, quando morì Juliette Colbert, l' ultima marchesa Falletti.
Divenuto prima Contea nel Seicento e poi Marchesato nel 1730, nell'Ottocento il Castello dei Falletti perde il suo lustro. La residenza nobiliare dei Falletti viene spostata a Torino, destinando Barolo a semplice residenza di campagna.
Nonostante questo il maniero ebbe comunque ospiti illustri come lo scrittore Silvio Pellico che qui fu anche responsabile della biblioteca di famiglia.
In seguito alle volontà della Marchesa Colbert il possesso del castello passò all'Opera Pia Barolo, un ente morale incaricato di amministrare le fortune di famiglia, che fece importanti lavori di ristrutturazione che ne alterarono la struttura originaria al fine di trasformarlo nel Collegio Barolo.
Sebbene il Castello dei Falletti perse così la sua identità medioevale, l'istituzione del collegio fu importante per la comunità di Barolo rappresentando tra 1875 e il 1958 l'unica opportunità di studio per i giovani della zona, soprattutto per i più poveri che poterono accedere a borse di studio per merito.
Dopo un periodo di abbandono, nel 1970 fu acquistato dal Comune di Barolo grazie ad una sottoscrizione pubblica che ne ha permesso il restauro.
Dal punto di vista architettonico il castello si sviluppa attorno alla torre quadrata che doveva essere il nucleo originale medioevale a cui sono state addossate cortine e maniche in muratura della parte residenziale. Dell'antica costruzione sono ancora visibili le due torrette cilindriche. L'ingresso avveniva attraverso un ponte levatoio posto dove ora sorge la chiesa parrocchialedi S.Donato.
Dal Settembre 2010 il Castello dei Falletti ospita il WiMu, un'innovativo Museo del Vino, tra i più importanti al Mondo, mentre nelle sue cantine ha sede l’Enoteca Regionale.
All'interno, al primo piano nobile, si possono ammirare le stanze con gli arredi d’epoca della marchesa Colbert.
Il Salone delle Quattro Stagioni è un'ampia sala con arredi fine stile impero e caratterizzato da quattro porte sormontate da pitture dedicate, ognuna, ad una stagione dell'anno.
La Sala degli stemmi, luogo dove si tiene il consiglio comunale, ha un soffitto decorato con gli emblemi dei Falletti e delle famiglie con cui si sono imparentati. In questa sala colpiscono l'occhio il grande camino decorato da stucchi cinquecenteschi.
Nella stanza della Marchesa è possibile ammirare uno dei pochi letti in stile impero presenti in Italia mentre la Biblioteca, che conserva circa tremila testi di epoca compresa tra il XV il XIX secolo, ha muri che appaiono tappezzati in stoffa ma che in realtà sono pitturati per simularne l'effetto.
Dalla terrazza del castello è possibile godere di un panorama eccezionale sulla bassa Langa e sui prestigiosi vigneti del Barolo.
Dopo aver visitato un museo così interessante, perché non continuare la scoperta di Barolo e dei suoi dintorni? Un tour in Vespa tra le colline del Barolo potrebbe essere un modo perfetto per esplorare la zona e godersi il paesaggio in modo originale.
Falletti Castle - Barolo
The Burgh of Barolo is an exceptional place, overlooking the hills and vineyards of the Langhe, attracts visitors not only for the charm of its streets and for the renowned wines, but also for the beautiful Falletti Castle which stands in the center of the town.
The first known fortification seems to have been built in Barolo in the 10th century when the local feudal lord received permission from King Berengario I to erect a defensive building against the attacks of the Hungarians and Saracens. Today only a few traces of that ancient medieval structure remain in the keep and in the lower part of the eastern tower.
Once owned by the municipality of Alba and then by the Falletti family, the Falletti Castle was transformed from a defense manor into a noble residence and gradually expanded over the centuries to the detriment of the houses around it.
In 1544 it was sacked and ruined by nearby Cherasco, but Giacomo and Manfredo Falletti repaired the breakdowns and made changes that remained unchanged until 1864, when Juliette Colbert, the last Marquise Falletti died.
First became a county in the seventeenth century and then a marquisated in 1730, in the nineteenth century the Falletti Castle lost its luster. The noble residence of the Falletti was moved to Turin, assigning Barolo to a simple country residence.
Despite this, the manor still had illustrious guests such as the writer Silvio Pellico who was also responsible of the family library in the castle.
Following the wishes of the Marquise Colbert, the ownership of the castle passed to the Opera Pia Barolo, a moral body in charge of administering the fortunes of the family, who carried out important renovations that altered the original structure in order to transform it into the Barolo College.
Although the Falletti Castle thus lost its medieval identity, the establishment of the college was important for the community of Barolo, representing between 1875 and 1958 the only study opportunity for young people in the area, especially for the poorest who could access scholarships for merit.
After a period of neglect, in 1970 it was purchased by the Municipality of Barolo thanks to a public subscription that allowed its restoration.
From an architectural point of view, the castle develops around the square tower which was to have been the original medieval nucleus to which curtain walls and masonry sleeves of the residential part were attached. The two cylindrical towers are still visible from the ancient building. The entrance was through a drawbridge placed where now stands the parish church of S. Donato.
Since September 2010, the Falletti Castle has hosted the WiMu, an innovative Wine Museum, one of the most important in the world, while the Regional Enoteca is located in its cellars.
Inside, on the first noble floor, you can admire the rooms with the period furnishings of the Marquise Colbert.
The Salone delle Quattro Stagioni is a large room with fine Empire-style furnishings and characterized by four doors surmounted by paintings dedicated to each season of the year.
The
La Sala degli stemmi, the place where the city council is held, has a ceiling decorated with the emblems of the Falletti and the families with whom they have related. In this room strikes the eye the large fireplace decorated with sixteenth-century stuccoes .
In the room of the Marquise it is possible to admire one of the few empire-style beds present in Italy while the Library, which preserves about three thousand texts from the period between the XV and the XIX century, has walls that appear upholstered in fabric but which are actually painted to simulate the effect.
From the castle terrace it is possible to enjoy an exceptional panorama on the lower Langa and the prestigious Barolo vineyards.
After visiting such an interesting museum, why not continue exploring Barolo and its surroundings? A Vespa tour through the Barolo hills could be the perfect way to explore the area and enjoy the landscape in an original way.
The Burgh of Barolo is an exceptional place, overlooking the hills and vineyards of the Langhe, attracts visitors not only for the charm of its streets and for the renowned wines, but also for the beautiful Falletti Castle which stands in the center of the town.
The first known fortification seems to have been built in Barolo in the 10th century when the local feudal lord received permission from King Berengario I to erect a defensive building against the attacks of the Hungarians and Saracens. Today only a few traces of that ancient medieval structure remain in the keep and in the lower part of the eastern tower.
Once owned by the municipality of Alba and then by the Falletti family, the Falletti Castle was transformed from a defense manor into a noble residence and gradually expanded over the centuries to the detriment of the houses around it.
In 1544 it was sacked and ruined by nearby Cherasco, but Giacomo and Manfredo Falletti repaired the breakdowns and made changes that remained unchanged until 1864, when Juliette Colbert, the last Marquise Falletti died.
First became a county in the seventeenth century and then a marquisated in 1730, in the nineteenth century the Falletti Castle lost its luster. The noble residence of the Falletti was moved to Turin, assigning Barolo to a simple country residence.
Despite this, the manor still had illustrious guests such as the writer Silvio Pellico who was also responsible of the family library in the castle.
Following the wishes of the Marquise Colbert, the ownership of the castle passed to the Opera Pia Barolo, a moral body in charge of administering the fortunes of the family, who carried out important renovations that altered the original structure in order to transform it into the Barolo College.
Although the Falletti Castle thus lost its medieval identity, the establishment of the college was important for the community of Barolo, representing between 1875 and 1958 the only study opportunity for young people in the area, especially for the poorest who could access scholarships for merit.
After a period of neglect, in 1970 it was purchased by the Municipality of Barolo thanks to a public subscription that allowed its restoration.
From an architectural point of view, the castle develops around the square tower which was to have been the original medieval nucleus to which curtain walls and masonry sleeves of the residential part were attached. The two cylindrical towers are still visible from the ancient building. The entrance was through a drawbridge placed where now stands the parish church of S. Donato.
Since September 2010, the Falletti Castle has hosted the WiMu, an innovative Wine Museum, one of the most important in the world, while the Regional Enoteca is located in its cellars.
Inside, on the first noble floor, you can admire the rooms with the period furnishings of the Marquise Colbert.
The Salone delle Quattro Stagioni is a large room with fine Empire-style furnishings and characterized by four doors surmounted by paintings dedicated to each season of the year.
The
La Sala degli stemmi, the place where the city council is held, has a ceiling decorated with the emblems of the Falletti and the families with whom they have related. In this room strikes the eye the large fireplace decorated with sixteenth-century stuccoes .
In the room of the Marquise it is possible to admire one of the few empire-style beds present in Italy while the Library, which preserves about three thousand texts from the period between the XV and the XIX century, has walls that appear upholstered in fabric but which are actually painted to simulate the effect.
From the castle terrace it is possible to enjoy an exceptional panorama on the lower Langa and the prestigious Barolo vineyards.
After visiting such an interesting museum, why not continue exploring Barolo and its surroundings? A Vespa tour through the Barolo hills could be the perfect way to explore the area and enjoy the landscape in an original way.
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