Seyssel d'Aix Castle
Description
The imposing fortress of the Seyssel d'Aix Castle overlooks the town of Sommariva del Bosco. The western part of the complex, facing the plain, is an 18th-century wing resembling a noble villa, while from the original circular fortress with its nine towers, only the northern side remains (visible from Via Carlo Alberto, known as the podium road, leading from the town hall to the old upper district). This part includes three massive cylindrical towers from the 13th century and a large octagonal tower, also from the 1200s, framed by a loggia designed by Benedetto Alfieri.
Beneath the roots of the ancient park's trees, surrounding the castle today, lie the ruins of the oldest part of the village, gradually dismantled for strategic purposes over the centuries.
History
The original building, possibly dating back before the year 1000 and certainly standing by 1153, makes it one of the oldest and best-preserved structures in the Roero region.
Throughout its history — marked by sieges, epic battles, betrayals, oaths, torture, and executions — the castle has been a coveted prize for local noble families due to its unique strategic position: the Acaja, the Roero, and the Savoy families all fought over it, until the Savoys ceded it in 1733 to the Seyssel d'Aix family, who still own and live in the castle today.