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The Castle of San Giorgio Monferrato, in the province of Alessandria, probably dates back to the X century (951 AD), following the peace treaty between Aleramo, the first Marquis of Monferrato, and the neighbouring populations. The manor was in fact built, like many others in the area, to curb the incursions of the Saracens who plagued Monferrato and Piedmont.
Over time, it has undergone many changes and transformations, including the construction of the tower by the people from Vercelli, who invaded these lands when Roberto Avogadro became their new owner in 1216. The gigantic walls on the west side were, on the other hand, commissioned by Gian Giorgio Marquis of Monferrato.

In 1533, the castle passed to the Gonzaga family, and afterwards, it was repeatedly occupied by French and Spanish soldiers. In 1629, the Spaniards set it on fire and almost destroyed it.
A few years later, Ferdinando Carlo Gonzaga, the last Duke of Mantua and Monferrato, invested Count Gozani with the fief of San Giorgio, whose family rebuilt the castle and kept it until 1870 – they built a park and an Italian-style garden with wondrous views over the hills of Monferrato.

Equally admirable are the interiors of this castle, furnished in neo-Gothic style and rich in frescoes; the baroque staircases of the courtyard of honour is also worth true admiration, as well as the small church built by the architect Ferroggio, inspired by the style of Filippo Juvarra (1678-1736) – the greatest mind of the Italian Baroque period. Then, there’s the grandiose southern façade, in fake Gothic style, designed the architect Bollati and dating back to 1828. Last but not least, the magnificent terrace with Ghibelline battlements overlooks the valley.

Today, the castle houses an art and antique gallery; in addition, a XVII century building has been transformed into a hotel and restaurant, inside the surrounding park.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)