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Barengo Castle stands on a hill behind the town of Barengo, overlooking the plain and once sat along a route linking the Via Francigena to the Sesia River.
The first records of a 'castrum' date back to the 14th century, when the village was moved from the Agogna riverbank to the hill for protection. It withstood attacks during the 1358–1362 wars between John II of Monferrato and Galeazzo Visconti.
Built in the late 15th century by the Tornielli family, the current fortress replaced part of the medieval structure. Commissioned by Count Giovanni Zanardo and completed by his son Melchiorre, it served both military and residential purposes. The brick building had a trapezoidal layout, with towers (now lost), a drawbridge, and sun-oriented southern walls.
After Melchiorre's death in 1487, the property was divided among younger sons. Over centuries, the castle was altered and partially ruined by the early 1800s. In 1849, it underwent a major restoration, and further reconstruction in the 20th century under Count Gaudenzio Tornielli and architect Carlo Nigra. The Boroli family, current owners, later restored it again. Original features like rampart walls and doorways still remain.