Piovera Castle

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Piovera Castle is one of the largest in the area, built entirely with bricks in the XIV century by Visconti family from Milan, on the previous encampments and the ruins of a convent.

It then became a noble residence, passing to the Spaniards, the Visconti and the Savoy who granted this fiefdom to Francesco Maria Balbi.

The building represents a peculiar merge between ancient and modern architecture: featuring a horseshoe shape, it has four oval crenellated towers on the external corners of its structure; it has undergone several interventions and restorations over time.
Only one of the four towers is still original: the one in the south-east corner.

The interiors, which can be visited, include service areas on the lower floors (kitchens, granaries, stables) and some halls on the main floor. The old granary houses the Museum of Ancient Crafts: a rich collection of tools and items of the past.
The castle, surrounded by a moat, is plunged in a large romantic park, with centuries-old trees and large lawn areas. Part of the estate is now used as a farm.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)