Montechino Castle was built in the 12th century as a strategic outpost to defend the Riglio valley. The
castle controlled an important
trade route between northern and southern Europe. It served those on pilgrimage to
Rome or to
Santiago de Compostela, in
Galicia,
Spain. According to the
Enciclopedia Treccani, after returning from the
Crusades the Confalonieri family from
Piacenza took control of the
castle in the early 12th century. In 1393
Gian Galeazzo Visconti, Duke of
Milan, while solidifying his control of the area, conferred the feudal title of Count and the lands surrounding
Montechino to the family as vassal allies. In 1492 they sold the
castle and all its land in the valley to the aristocratic Nicelli family who continued to improve the property. By 1842 it was controlled by Count Marazzani. In 1944, during the latter stages of
World War II, in the
italian resistance movement a famous Italian partisan division occupied the
castle using it as their headquarters in their fight against
Nazi occupation. In 1955 it was bought by Monsignor Stefano Fumagalli, archbishop of San Polo, who converted the castle to a retirement home for nuns. In 1986 it returned to private hands and was restored it to its original design as a stately home. == Description ==