Uviglie Castle

The first certain traces of Uviglie Castle can be found in a document dated in 1322. In this text the marquis of Monferrato Teodoro I granted the Pocaparte family a license to build their own fortified residence. The construction of the round tower and the wall supporting the roof garden adjacent the present park goes back to that period.

On February 1495 Giovanni Antonio Pico, who was from an old noble family from Casale and Marquis Commissary for the Revenue of Casale, acquires the properties of the feud of Uviglie from Guglielmo IX and Gian Giacomo becoming the only owner appointed by the Marquis of Monferrato. Starting from 1497 the new master of Uviglie could also be titled with the illustrious surname of Gonzaga: such a privilege, along with the use of the powerful Mantua family coat of arms, he and his brother Bonifacio and their male descendants were granted with after the merits Bonifacio had obtained while he was at service of Lodovico Gonzaga’s noble family.

At that time the care taken to preserve the castle was hinted at with praise by Evandro Baronino editor of a statistical survey of the town and lands of Monferrato who described it as “a very comfortable residence with very beautiful rooms”. The construction of the quadrangular tower and the present building on the northwestern side of the castle date back to this time. The outside walls were probably demolished when the dukedom went to the Savoia family in order to create enough space to develop the existing park as we see it now.

The property with its ancient park because of its architectural importance and its artistic heritage, it is under the Royal Law Decree of June 1939 and it belongs today to the Società Semplice Castello d’Uviglie.

References:

• Castello di Uviglie

Address

Località Castello D'Uviglie 73, Rosignano Monferrato, Italy

Details

Founded: 1322
Category: Castles and fortifications in Italy