La parte alta della città vecchia di Saluzzo, antico centro del Marchesato, è dominata dalla Castiglia, edificio che per quattro secoli fu la residenza dei Marchesi Del Vasto degli Aleramici che qui regnarono tra il 1175 ed il 1548.
La rocca venne fatta costruire dal marchese Tommaso I tra il 1270 ed il 1280 in sostituzione del Castel Soprano e posta in posizione elevata rispetto al paese in modo da garatire un maggiore controllo sul territorio e, nello stesso tempo, riservatezza alla famiglia nobile.
Il nome Castiglia deriva probabilmente dalla parola latina "castella" che sta ad indicare un insieme di edifici fortificati come quelli preesistenti sul luogo dove venne edificata la rocca.
Nel corso dei secoli il castello subì diversi rimaneggiamenti. Inizialmente La Castiglia si presentava come un edificio a pianta quadrangolare, circondato da mura con quattro torri cilindriche sporgenti verso l'esterno.
Alla fine del 1400 Ludovico II, in occasione delle nozze con Margherita di Foix, la volle trasformare in dimora signorile seguendo l'esempio di altre corti rinascimentali italiane. Venne così costruito il grande torrione rotondo, presente ancor'oggi, che riporta in cima tondi decorati con lo stemma di Saluzzo e l’effige di un’aquila imperiale.
In quel periodo vennero anche affrescate in grisaille le stanze di rappresentanza. Purtroppo queste opere sono andate perdute.
L'occupazione francese del Marchesato nel corso del Cinquecento e l'annessione al Ducato di Savoia ha decretato la definitiva decadenza in rovina della Castiglia che ormai che aveva perso anche il suo valore strategico grazie all'invenzione di armi più moderne.
Nel Settecento divenne sede del Governatore del Marchesato e caserma del presidio prima francese, poi sabaudo. Ormai irrimediabilmente degradata per la mancanza di manutenzione, nel 1825 fu oggetto di lavori per trasformare il castello in prigione. Venne così ricostruito il corpo principale con conseguente distruzione degli affreschi quattrocenteschi ad eccezione di un paio che furono asportati e poi riacquistati per il Museo Casa Cavassa.
La Castiglia mantenne la sua destinazione d'uso fino al 2002 quando il Demanio la diede in comodato al comune di Saluzzo che vi iniziò i restuari per realizzare un polo museale.
Attualmente l'edificio è sede dell'Archivio Storico Comunale, del Museo della Civiltà Cavalleresca e del Museo della Memoria Carceraria.
Dal 2006, inoltre, è “Luogo del Contemporaneo” ed ospita la Collezione di Arte Contemporanea dell'Istituto Garuzzo per le Arti Visive, un insieme di 100 opere concesse da artisti e galleristi per far conoscere e valorizzare l'arte contemporanea locale e per promuoverne le iniziative.
L'accesso alla Castiglia è a pagamento e sono presenti anche visite guidate al complesso.
Pieve of Santa Maria - Cortemilia
The upper part of the Saluzzo historic centre, the ancient town of the Marquisate, is dominated by the Castiglia, building that for four centuries was the residence of the Marquis Del Vasto degli Aleramici who reigned here between 1175 and 1548.
The fortress was built by the Marquis Tommaso I between 1270 and 1280 to replace the Soprano Castle and it was placed in an elevated position overlooking the village in order to guarantee greater control over the territory and, at the same time, privacy to the noble family.
The name Castiglia probably derives from the Latin word "castella" which indicates a whole fortified buildings such as those existing on the site where the fortress was built.
Over the centuries the castle underwent several changes. Initially the Castiglia looked like a quadrangular building surrounded by walls with four cylindrical towers protruding outwards.
At the end of the 1400s, Ludwig II, on the occasion of his wedding with Margherita Foix, wanted to transform it into a stately home following the example of other Italian Renaissance courts. Thus was built the large round tower, still present today, which features round tops decorated with the Saluzzo coat of arms and the effigy of an imperial eagle.
In that time, representative rooms were also painted in grisaille. Unfortunately these works have been lost.
The French occupation of the Marquisate during the sixteenth century and the annexation to the Duchy of Savoy decreed the definitive decay of the Castiglia which by now had also lost its strategic value thanks to the invention of more modern weapons.
In the eighteenth century it became the seat of the Governor of the Marquisate and barracks of the first French garrison and after the Savoy. Irreparably degraded due to the lack of maintenance, in 1825 it was the subject of works to transform the castle into a prison. The main body was thus rebuilt with the consequent destruction of the fifteenth-century frescoes with the exception of a couple of them which were removed and then bought back for the Casa Cavassa Museum.
The Castiglia maintained its intended use until 2002 when the state property gave it on loan to the municipality of Saluzzo who started the remainders to build a museum center.
Currently the building is home of the Municipal Historical Archive, the Museum of Chivalry Civilization and the Museum of Prison Memory.
Since 2006, moreover, it has been a "Place of the Contemporary" and houses the Contemporary Art Collection of the Garuzzo Institute for Visual Arts, a set of about 100 works granted by artists and gallery owners to raise awareness and enhance local contemporary art and to promote its the initiatives.
Access to the Castiglia is chargeable and there are also guided tours of the complex.
The upper part of the Saluzzo historic centre, the ancient town of the Marquisate, is dominated by the Castiglia, building that for four centuries was the residence of the Marquis Del Vasto degli Aleramici who reigned here between 1175 and 1548.
The fortress was built by the Marquis Tommaso I between 1270 and 1280 to replace the Soprano Castle and it was placed in an elevated position overlooking the village in order to guarantee greater control over the territory and, at the same time, privacy to the noble family.
The name Castiglia probably derives from the Latin word "castella" which indicates a whole fortified buildings such as those existing on the site where the fortress was built.
Over the centuries the castle underwent several changes. Initially the Castiglia looked like a quadrangular building surrounded by walls with four cylindrical towers protruding outwards.
At the end of the 1400s, Ludwig II, on the occasion of his wedding with Margherita Foix, wanted to transform it into a stately home following the example of other Italian Renaissance courts. Thus was built the large round tower, still present today, which features round tops decorated with the Saluzzo coat of arms and the effigy of an imperial eagle.
In that time, representative rooms were also painted in grisaille. Unfortunately these works have been lost.
The French occupation of the Marquisate during the sixteenth century and the annexation to the Duchy of Savoy decreed the definitive decay of the Castiglia which by now had also lost its strategic value thanks to the invention of more modern weapons.
In the eighteenth century it became the seat of the Governor of the Marquisate and barracks of the first French garrison and after the Savoy. Irreparably degraded due to the lack of maintenance, in 1825 it was the subject of works to transform the castle into a prison. The main body was thus rebuilt with the consequent destruction of the fifteenth-century frescoes with the exception of a couple of them which were removed and then bought back for the Casa Cavassa Museum.
The Castiglia maintained its intended use until 2002 when the state property gave it on loan to the municipality of Saluzzo who started the remainders to build a museum center.
Currently the building is home of the Municipal Historical Archive, the Museum of Chivalry Civilization and the Museum of Prison Memory.
Since 2006, moreover, it has been a "Place of the Contemporary" and houses the Contemporary Art Collection of the Garuzzo Institute for Visual Arts, a set of about 100 works granted by artists and gallery owners to raise awareness and enhance local contemporary art and to promote its the initiatives.
Access to the Castiglia is chargeable and there are also guided tours of the complex.
0 comments