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The name Rovasenda first appears in an 882 document in which King Charles the Fat confirms the land, including Silva Rovaxinda, to the Bishop of Vercelli. The original village was located by the Marchiazza stream, in an area called Pievanasco.
The Rovasenda lordship began in 965 when Bishop Ingone granted the forested land to Count Aimone of Vercelli. In 1170, Alberto di Rovasenda began building the castle, originally for military purposes. Over the centuries, it evolved into a noble residence (15th–16th centuries) and later a center of agriculture and economy (18th century).
In 1413, after resisting Savoy rule, the Rovasenda family surrendered following a siege by Amadeus VIII. The castle underwent many modifications, notably the construction of the 48-meter tower in 1459 by Antonio di Rovasenda—still one of the tallest in Vercelli. A Renaissance wing was later added with frescoes and vaulted ceilings.
The castle suffered significant damage during the 1667 war and from a lightning strike in 1721, which was repaired in 1927. Interior restorations took place in the 1970s, led by engineer Paolo Caccia Dominioni.
Architect Carlo Nigra used it as a model for building the new Rovasenda Castle in the early 1900s. Two plaques from 1971 commemorate Rovasenda’s first millennium and the 1524 death of knight Pierre Terrail de Bayard near the castle.
Today, the castle is largely closed to visitors due to the need for restoration, though a few rooms are used for cultural events and municipal meetings. The council chamber features work by local artist Urano Palma.