Drosso Castle, Turin
Drosso Castle (Castello del Drosso) is one of the oldest structures in Turin. And at the same time one of the most forgotten. A beautiful medieval castle is located far enough from the city center, close to the nearby villages, and in this regard, not all Turin residents know about it.
History of the castle
The exact date of construction is unknown, historians suggest that the building was erected on the site of an ancient Roman villa. Originally it was a fortified medieval settlement on top of a hill. Later, in 1233, the monks of the Order of St. Benedict arrived from the powerful abbey Staffarda. They organized weaving and shoe factories, tanneries, mills and the production of bread in the village. The village flourished, attracting traders who avoided city taxes. The Turin authorities did not miss the chance to annoy the monks, driving them into debt. And in 1334 the abbot sold the land to the Corrado di Gorzano family for 12,000 gold florins. In 1339 the village became the property of the Count's family Vagnone di Trofarello. The new owners began to build fortifications, turning the village into a full-fledged fortress. In addition, they expanded the infrastructure by building a sawmill and 2 farms.
In 1496 the castle and settlement were divided into 4 parts and belonged to several noble families. In 1539, most of the fortress was purchased by Count Guglielmo Gromis di Trana. His family settled here for a long time. And in the 19th century the descendant of Carlo Gromis di Trana bought out all the remaining parts of the castle and the settlements of Dross, completely uniting them under the wing of their ancient clan. Thus, their family owned the estate for about 400 years. After the abolition of the monarchy in Italy, the castle became the property of the state, then it was replaced by several other owners, having undergone minor restoration.
Architecture and modernity
Despite a large number of owners and repairs, the castle did not lose its fortification character. The fortress is a square brick building, which has three floors. Towers rise in the four corners, which once were equipped with battlements. Inside of the the building there is a closed courtyard, which in the west wing had previously had a typical Italian garden. Near the castle there are two farmhouses. One of them, located on the east side, still has the watchtower and some fortified walls of the 13th century. The most striking trail left by the Gromis di Trana family is a loggia with a series of porticoes, built in the western wing on the top floor. In the south-eastern part of the fortress, rises the bell tower of the former chapel, which belonged to the monks.
During the Second World War, the German unit Torino Sud was quartered in the castle. Afterwards it left a lot of tracks: drawings and graffiti, a ruined interior and inappropriate plumbing. In recent years, the restored castle is put up for sale by a private person and is closed to visitors. Well, a hope remains that the new owner will create all the conditions for tourists here. In the meantime, you can only admire the ancient walls of a powerful structure, with the wind that blows in the middle of the rooms. Someone will definitely find something romantic in this.
How to get there
The castle is located 10 km from the center of Turin, in the Mirafiori Sud area, near the bypass road. A country road leads to it from the exit from Strada del Drosso. A bit to the south there is the Hunting Palace of Stupinigi, better known among tourists. The closest stop to the castle is Drosso Ovest, located in a 7-10 minute walk. You can get to it by buses № 34, 38.
