The Castle of Monteu Roero

The history of Monteu Roero Castle is rooted in the Middle Ages, when the village was known as Monte Acuto: a reference to the town's high and steep position, naturally suited for defense. As early as the 11th century, the territory was linked to the Bishop of Asti; in 1041, Emperor Henry III granted Monte Acuto to the Church of Asti, while in the following centuries, control passed to the powerful Biandrate family.

According to tradition, it was Guido Biandrate who built the castle. In 1152, Emperor Frederick Barbarossa officially recognized the Biandrate family—his allies—as the owners of the fortress, and some chronicles link the Emperor's name to the castle, where he is said to have stayed during his time in Piedmont. The manor's position, overlooking the village and the Rocche, made it a strategic outpost: from here, passages, hills, and a landscape already marked by borders, power, and rivalry were controlled.

At the end of the 13th century, a new decisive phase began. In 1299, after the crisis of the Biandrate power, the castle passed to the Roero family, an Asti family destined to give their name to the entire territory. From that moment, Monte Acuto became Monteu Roero and the castle took on an increasingly important role in local history: not just a defensive fortress, but also a noble residence and a symbol of the family's power.

Between the 16th and 17th centuries, the castle experienced its period of greatest splendor. In particular, between 1570 and 1575, it was expanded and transformed according to the taste of the time: the ancient medieval structure was enriched with more residential rooms, decorated halls, and ceremonial spaces. Some of the most precious elements still visible today belong to this phase, including frescoes dedicated to mythological subjects such as Daedalus and Icarus, Phaethon, and the Myth of the Hours.

Time, however, has left deep marks on the building. As early as the 16th century, part of the castle suffered a major collapse, while the 1887 earthquake seriously damaged the complex, leading to the demolition of the high keep and some structures to the west, which were never rebuilt. This is also why the castle retains a special charm today: less intact than its original form, but full of memory, layers, and traces of its long past.

After the Roero era, the castle passed to the Gromis di Trana and, in the following centuries, went through various owners and functions until it became a private residence. In 2012, it was purchased by the Berta family, owners of the eponymous distilleries, with the aim of restoring and enhancing it. Today, Monteu Roero Castle has returned to being a living place: open for tours, exhibitions, events, and cultural initiatives, it continues to tell the story of the village, the Rocche, and one of the most important families in the Roero.