The Castle

archivio Art & Wine - foto Max Giannotta
CASTLE OF RODDI
Currently closed for restoration

The castle rises from the top of the hill, surrounded by the small village of Roddi. In the 1500s, the castle was arleady the property of Gaio Francesco della Mirandola, the nephew of the great philosopher and humanist Pico. Tall and imposing, the Castle of Roddi is a significant example of Medieval architecture in fortresses..

The first documented traces of the existence of this castle come from the 11th century. However, the certainty that the powerful Falletti family owned property in these parts doesn't appear until the 1300s. As such, the construction of this castle should probably be attributed to the end of the 1300s. The property then passes from the Falletti family to the the Counts of Mirandola in 1526 and to the Chiesa family in 1690.

Later at the Congress of Vienna (1814-1815), the Savoy family entered into possession of the castle. The castle became the possession of the state and then the property of the Township of Roddi in 2001.

The castle's structure is that of a central body with three floors, constructed upon a high, steep slope. Two round towers complete its defensive structure, one thin and tall, the other low and the object of numerous additions and rennovations over the centuries. The fortress's typology is classified as donjon (which is the same as that of Serralunga d'Alba nearby).

As regards to the donjon model, the towers of the Roddi castle are rather more domineering and less integrated into the central structure. However, the construction of this main fortress over the years allowed it to adapt to more modern defensive designs, such as the gratings on the last floor. In addition, the castle was protected by a drawbridge that stretched over what is today an all but extinct moat.

Currently, visitors may enter the castle by an outdoor courtyard, which is constructed on a embankment held up by a high, brick wall.

Inside the castle, original 14th and 15th century decorations and wooden ceilings are preserved. Also, the historical kitchens are a precious glimpse into the past, well-preserved from the 1500s.

The intact kitchen itself has recently encouraged the protection and valorization of the entire fortress structure. The International Culinary School of the White Truffle of Alba has been installed in the now-restored castle, an educational kitchen with a dozen modern workspaces at the disposition of anyone who desires to learn the fundamentals of traditional Piemontese cooking, both locals and tourists.

The relationship that Roddi has with its traditional white truffle product also does its part to help portray the culinary school's identity. At the very foot of the castle since 1880, there has been a singularly unique training school that has become legend: the University of Truffle Hunting Dogs. The school was founded by a farmer of Roddi, Antonio Moncherio "Barot," who has drawn in tourists and visitors from all parts of the world to experience the truffle or to teach their dog how to hunt for this precious mushroom.
The castle also holds a restaurant and several suggestive locales.

Opening hours

THE CASTLE OF RODDI IS CLOSED FOR RESTORATION WORK.

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