Falletti Castle of Barolo

The history of the Falletti castle is believed to have begun, given the lack of historical documents on its construction, in the tenth century, when Berengar I allowed the local feudal lord to erect an effective defense against the frequent raids, first of the Hungarians and then, the Saracens. Of that original structure, very little remains: the tower, still visible today, is part of it. The first written record dates back to the 1200’s is a deed transferring ownership from the lords of Marcenasco to the town of Alba. A few years later it was ceded to the Falletti’s who significantly restructured it and made it a permanent family residence. The register of 1524 mentions the presence of about thirty houses around the castle; houses gradually disappeared to make room for subsequent annexes of the castle itself. During the long wars of the time, however, it was laid to ruin in 1544 and plundered by the French governor of nearby Cherasco. It was Giaccomo and Manfredo’s task to repair the substantial damage, even going so far as to make additional improvements. The new castle, the result of sixteenth century renovations, remained essentially unchanged until 1864, the year of Juliette Colbert death: the last Falletti Marquise. Meanwhile, the castle had already been demoted to a simple country residence following the relocation of the Falletti family’s main home in 1814 to the Palazzo Barolo in Turin. Standing out among its illustrious guests during the last era of the Falletti was undoubtedly Silvio Pellico, presented by the Marchioness Cesare Balbo after spending ten years in Spielberg prison. Over the years to follow, he became a close friend, advisor and director of the Falletti Library. “Il Pellico” and the Marquise used to spend long days together, between Falletti Castle and the Castle della Volta, dedicated to reading and conversation. Upon Colbert’s death, Falletti Castle passed to the Barolo Charitable Organization, with heavy renovations that profoundly altered its structure, and became the College of Barolo. The role of the College board, active until 1958, was to give economically disadvantaged students a chance to study. In 1970 it was purchased by the city of Barolo, largely through a widely supported public underwriting campaign. Over the years, it has been largely restored.

The castle is closed for restoration and improvements in preparation for the new Wine Museum.