Gorzegno è un piccolo paese situato in Valle Bormida, nel cuore dell'Alta Langa, con un passato medioevale raccontato anche da Beppe Fenoglio nello scritto "Un giorno di fuoco".
A testimonianza dela sua storia qui sopravvivono i ruderi in pietra del Castello di Gorzegno, antico maniero ora oggetto di un tentativo di recupero artistico.
L'abitato di Gorzegno dopo essere stato soggetto all'autorità della pieve di Cortemilia, passò ai De Carretto che lo potenziarono dal punto di vista commerciale in quanto via di traffico verso la Liguria.
Con l'obiettivo di proteggere il territorio dalle mire espansionistiche dei Marchesi del Monferrato, dei Marchesi di Saluzzo e dei Visconti, nel XII venne costruito un primo nucleo del Castello di Gorzegno costituito da un castrum quadrato dotato di una porta turrita al cui interno sorgeva un'altra torre dedicata a residenza.
Successivamente il maniero venne ampliato per garantire maggior spazio abitativo e venne costruita la Torre Maestra, visibile tutt'ora.
L'ultimo rinnovamente avvenne intorno al 1580 quando il Castello di Gorzegno fu trasformato in palazzo fortificato. Vennero edificate quattro torrette angolari a pianta quadrata su modello del Castello di Saliceto, furono aggiunte decorazioni esterne come un loggiato con colonnine doriche, archi, mentre all'interno i saloni furono decorati con marmi e stucchi.
Queste modifiche denotano, senza ombra di dubbio, il cambiamento di destinazione d'uso in dimora nobile.
Purtroppo il Castello di Gorzegno venne fortemente danneggiato dalle guerre che interessarono la zona e poco per volta cadde in rovina anche se una parte di esso continuò ad essere abitato fino al 1860.
Ricoperto da una folta vegetazione, rimane difficile ad oggi, distinguere le sue vecchie sembianze, ma si spera che il progetto di recupero possa essere attuato per riportare alla comunità di Gorzegno quello che fu uno dei suoi simboli.
Gorzegno Castle - Langhe
Gorzegno is a small town located in the Bormida Valley, in the heart of the Alta Langa, with a medieval past also narrated by Beppe Fenoglio in the writing "Un giorno di fuoco".
As evidence of its past, survive the stone ruins of the Gorzegno Castle, old manor now object of an attempt of artistic recovery.
The town of Gorzegno after being subject to the authority of the parish of Cortemilia, passed to the De Carretto family who enhanced it from a commercial point of view as a traffic route to Liguria.
With the aim of protecting the territory from the expansionist aims of the Marquis of Monferrato, the Marquis of Saluzzo and the Visconti family, in the XII was built a first nucleus of the Gorzegno Castle consisting of a square castrum with a turreted door inside which stood another tower dedicated to residence.
Subsequently the manor was enlarged to ensure greater living space and was built the Main Tower, still visible today.
The last renovation took place around 1580 when the Gorzegno Castle was transformed into a fortified palace. At that time were built four square corner corner towers on the model of the Castle of Saliceto, were added external decorations such as a loggia with Doric columns, arches, while inside the halls were decorated with marble and stucco.
These changes denote, without a shadow of a doubt, the change of intended use in a noble residence.
Unfortunately the Gorzegno Castle was heavily damaged by the wars that affected the area and little for vault fell into disrepair even if a part of it continued to be inhabited until 1860.
Covered by a thick vegetation, today it remains difficult to distinguish its old features, but it is hoped that the recovery project can be implemented to bring back to the community of Gorzegno what was one of its symbols.
Gorzegno is a small town located in the Bormida Valley, in the heart of the Alta Langa, with a medieval past also narrated by Beppe Fenoglio in the writing "Un giorno di fuoco".
As evidence of its past, survive the stone ruins of the Gorzegno Castle, old manor now object of an attempt of artistic recovery.
The town of Gorzegno after being subject to the authority of the parish of Cortemilia, passed to the De Carretto family who enhanced it from a commercial point of view as a traffic route to Liguria.
With the aim of protecting the territory from the expansionist aims of the Marquis of Monferrato, the Marquis of Saluzzo and the Visconti family, in the XII was built a first nucleus of the Gorzegno Castle consisting of a square castrum with a turreted door inside which stood another tower dedicated to residence.
Subsequently the manor was enlarged to ensure greater living space and was built the Main Tower, still visible today.
The last renovation took place around 1580 when the Gorzegno Castle was transformed into a fortified palace. At that time were built four square corner corner towers on the model of the Castle of Saliceto, were added external decorations such as a loggia with Doric columns, arches, while inside the halls were decorated with marble and stucco.
These changes denote, without a shadow of a doubt, the change of intended use in a noble residence.
Unfortunately the Gorzegno Castle was heavily damaged by the wars that affected the area and little for vault fell into disrepair even if a part of it continued to be inhabited until 1860.
Covered by a thick vegetation, today it remains difficult to distinguish its old features, but it is hoped that the recovery project can be implemented to bring back to the community of Gorzegno what was one of its symbols.
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