Roccavignale
Roccavignale Castle: a historic fortress in the province of Savona
If you are passionate about history and architecture, you must visit Roccavignale Castle, located in the upper Bormida valley, in the province of Savona. This defensive building was constructed on a rocky outcrop at 474 meters above sea level, in a dominant position, to control the ancient Roman commercial road between the territory around Ceva and Savona.
The History of Roccavignale Castle
The construction of Roccavignale Castle does not have a certain date, but it is believed to date back to the 12th century when the mountainous ridge above Roccavignale became the border between the Marquisate of Ceva and the Marca of Savona. At that time, the first nucleus of the castle may have been built, but the structure was expanded in the 14th century by the Carrettesca family, who owned it. Over the centuries, the castle passed under different owners until it became the property of the Municipality of Roccavignale, which became its owner in the 1980s.
The Structure of Roccavignale Castle
The structure of Roccavignale Castle is almost trapezoidal in shape, not precise, as it is characterized by the morphology of the rocky terrain, with four squared towers at the vertices. To access the castle, one had to follow the perimeter of the walls - and therefore under the defenders' fire - along a narrow and steep path that ended uphill and in front of a well-defended drawbridge. The castle's structure has been restored by the Municipality of Roccavignale and is now used as a venue for cultural events and exhibitions.
Curiosities about Roccavignale Castle
The history of Roccavignale Castle is intertwined with that of the surrounding area and the characters who inhabited it. For example, in the castle, some maggiorenti vetrai from Altare were chained and accused, unfairly, by the Marquis of Grana Monferrato Felice Carretto of destroying the local Altare Castle. After the intervention of the Consulate of Art, and after paying a substantial sum of money, the innocents were released after seventy days of imprisonment. Roccavignale Castle was also the scene of two military events during the 18th century: the first, in the Austrian Succession War in 1747, saw the Piemontese troops camped there, defeated and dispersed by the Spanish soldiers. The second, in the crucial phases of the Italian Campaign (1799), saw the besieged fortress being burned and then "blown up" by French soldiers.
Conclusions
Roccavignale Castle is one of the treasures of Italian defensive architecture. Its strategic location and structure allowed it to control the ancient Roman commercial road between Piedmont and Liguria. Thanks to the restoration work of the Municipality of Roccavignale, today, this place has become a venue for cultural events and exhibitions, representing a unique opportunity to immerse oneself in the history of Northern Italy. If you want to spend a day out of time and away from the hustle and bustle of modern life, Roccavignale Castle is undoubtedly the right place for you.
