카스텔 산 조반니‬에서 가장 멋진 ‪11‬개의 동굴

This palace is called the "Versailles" of Lombardy. Everything is locked. According to the sign, it can be visited by appointment. The grounds are vast.

Chignolo Po Castle

On gravel we followed dirt roads along waterways and cycle paths as much as possible, but you can get there faster with a road bike.

We left Gorgonzola in the direction of the Chignolo Po Castle, one of the sumptuous country residences of Lombardy, and after about three hours we arrived at our destination... discovering that the Castle was closed... no big deal we took pictures from the outside. Its oldest part is the tower, built as a garrison on the Po and on the connecting routes between northern Europe and Italy. The Castle, built in the thirteenth century, was transformed into a princely palace in the eighteenth century, through an imaginative stylistic reworking of the building. It appears as a majestic terracotta construction, surmounted by a protruding gallery supported by stone brackets. Each window is framed in white. The most spectacular element is the central tower, square and with battlements, embellished with a small loggia. Inside you can admire the apartments in which Pope Clement XI, Napoleon Bonaparte and Francis I of Austria were hosted, as well as the sumptuous ballroom on whose ceiling the glory of the four seasons is painted. The Castle is also home to the Museum of the History of Lombard Agricultural Civilization, created with the intent of bringing together the many historical realities that have formed the foundation of the agricultural activities of the lower Po Valley and the Lombard Wine Museum. The visit route aims to admire the monumental complex of the Castle of Chignolo Po and to enhance the history of its centuries-old royal fiefdom and its position along the Via Francigena. The visits are only guided as the Castle is a private residence. Nice trip!

Place of historical, cultural, architectural and tourist interest Via Galdino, Via Stazione, Via Aglieri, 1, 27013 Chignolo Po PV http://www.castellodichignolopo.it/ 3201198899

Also known as the 'Versailles of Lombardy'

It's impossible to think of passing through here without visiting the town's castle. Its origins seem to date back to the 6th century but over time it underwent numerous transformations and rearrangements, resulting from the needs of the owners who followed one another over the centuries. First there was Frederick I, known as Barbarossa, who destroyed the previous castle to rebuild it. There were the Visconti-Sforzas and finally the Belgioioso family. The structure of the castle is divided into two parts: on one side the shelter, i.e. the area where daily life took place, on the other the fortress, with military functions and for this reason located high up on the hillside.

The history of this castle has been tormented, many changes of hands conditioned by bloody events, frauds and family extinctions due to lack of heirs. In 1412 it was owned by the Arcelli family (who were most likely responsible for the first construction). Arranged on a rectangular plan with five stone and brick towers. Four towers that stand out from the corners and an entrance donjon in the center of the north-west façade. The towers have different shapes but all are quadrangular and have battlements covered by roofs. The structure is made of stone except for the projections of the towers which are made of bricks. Although externally it still appears to be in good condition, the complex has significant stability problems.