User:UniRoero/Castello dei Principi d'Acaja

The Princes of Acaja’s castle is a historic building in Fossano, in the province of Cuneo; it stands majestically in the town's square with the same name, characterising the urban landscape. It’s a symbol of the town and it was built in the centre of the ancient village of Fossano, in a panoramic and well-defended position, at the behest of Philip I of Savoy-Acaia.

Its construction began in 1324 and eight years later, in 1332, the basic structures were completed. Hundreds of workers were involved in its construction; 3,355,000 bricks, 26,000 tiles and 19,861 cartloads of stones were required.

It houses the Historical Archive (with ancient documents dating back to the 13th century) and it has now become a municipal library.

In June, it is the setting for the historic “Palio dei Borghi” and “Giostra dell'Oca”.

It is part of the lower Piedmont"Castelli Aperti" (Open Castles) circuit.

History

After the extinction of the Savoy-Achaia branch in 1418, the town and castle came under the direct rule of the Dukes of Savoy.

Duke Amadeus VIII transformed the castrum into a palatium. The castle retained the characteristics of a fortress, so much that in 1536 it withstood a French assault for over a month.

In the 15th century the Aula Magna or throne room, the prince's quarters, the chapel, the cellars and the courtyard with a portico of white marble columns, whose capitals were sculpted by Gaspare Solari, were built. A fifth tower was built on the north side to house the kitchens, ovens and services.

From 1500 to 1503, Bona di Savoia, widow of Galeazzo Maria Sforza, stayed here; legend has it that the duchess' ghost wanders around inside the castle.[2].

In November 1562 Emanuele Filiberto, in the presence of the cardinal of Lorraine, the bishop of Orléans, the lords of Allye and Birague, signed the Treaty of Fossano, which ended hostilities with the French.

At the end of the 16th century, Charles Emmanuel and his wife Catherine of Habsburg commissioned the two arched towers to the west of the loggias. The decorations by the Flemish painter Giovanni Caracca date back to the same period. A vault painted with grotesques is partially preserved.

In the second half of the 17th century, the castle was converted into a prison. In 1689, 1800 Waldensians from Pellice Valley were imprisoned there: almost all of them died of hardship. Later, the castle became a military district. Barracks, stables, grain warehouses and new bodies were built to house the troops. A parade ground was created by covering the moat.

In 1860, turrets were built against the towers to allow access to the cells.

Until 1943 the castle was used as a prison and barracks. After the war it became a refuge for displaced and homeless people.

In 1960, the Monuments Office began restoration work that returned the castle to its 16th-century appearance. The adjacent buildings disappeared and part of the moat was recovered. In 1979, the Administration assigned it to cultural assets and services.

Since 1985, the Castle of the Princes of Achaia has housed the municipal library. More than 100,000 volumes are available for consultation, with a historical collection of 20,000 volumes, enriched in 1998 by Mario Vallauri's donation of oriental studies.

The centre-network of the library system serves about 30 municipalities in the Fossano-Savigliano-Saluzzo area.

The tower rooms house a collection of regimental postcards, while the inner courtyard and the well-equipped multi-purpose hall host historical and cultural events throughout the year.

Notes

Other projects


 * Commons-logo.svg Wikimedia Commons contains images or other files on Castello dei Principi d'Acaja

External links

Ufficio Turistico IAT di Fossano, on visitfossano.it.


 * Ufficio Turistico IAT di Fossano, on visitfossano.it.