Castello di Castellengo is located in Castellengo, an area (‘frazione’) in the commune di Cossato in Biella province.

The origins of the castle date back to the 10th century by Alberico di Monterone who saw the property confiscated in 1014 for having supported Arduino d’Ivrea. In 1198 it passed to the Bulgarians, in whose hands the manor remained until 1406. On the night between 4 and 5 May of that year the Captain of Fortune Bando of Florence occupied the castle.

To regain possession, Amedeo VIII of Savoy was forced to resort to a siege that lasted until February 1409.

Subsequently the castle was divided and sold to 14 Biellese nobles. The following years saw the Frichignono di Cecina brothers acquire ever greater shares of the castle and the territory of Castellengo. In 1630 Prospero was invested with the title of Count by Carlo Emanuele I and the noble coat of arms of the Frichignono is still visible today to the right of the sundial of the castle. At the end of the seventeenth century, political and military conditions changed, the transformation of the castle from a fortress to a noble residence began.

This transformation continued throughout the 1700s, drawing inspiration from French models. The Frichignono family died out in 1883 and the castle underwent a gradual abandonment, changing ownership several times. In 1990 the current owners began a careful conservative restoration which is still in progress.

Contact

Frazione Castellengo, 31

I-13836 Castellengo (BI), Italy