Avigliana Castle

Avigliana Castle stands in the town of Avigliana, Italy, and was originally established by the medieval civilization of the early Italian margraves. Its origin dates back to the 10th century, with the first documented construction credited to Arduino (Arduin) Glaber, the margrave of Turin, around the year 924. Positioned strategically at the entrance to the Susa Valley, the castle served as a crucial defensive outpost guarding the approach to Turin from potential invaders coming from France.

During the 10th century, Avigliana Castle was a central military base in resisting Saracen incursions into northwestern Italy, receiving frequent mentions in contemporary chronicles. Records from the late 10th and early 11th centuries highlight that Margrave Arduin V resided within its walls, underscoring its importance as a noble residence and military headquarters.

The castle entered the possession of the Counts of Savoy in 1091, acquired through the dowry of Adelaide of Susa. This transition marked the castle’s evolution into a favored domicile and administrative center for the Savoy family. Figures such as Amadeus III and his son Humbert III, who was born there in 1136, were closely linked to the site. Its location on a busy merchant route to France and Flanders also allowed the castle to generate toll revenues, adding economic function to its role.

In the middle ages, the castle endured military conflict. It was destroyed during the Italian campaign of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa but was subsequently rebuilt under Thomas I of Savoy. Between the 11th and 14th centuries, the castle expanded into a significant command post, contributing to the urban growth of the settlement beneath it.

Additional functions within the castle complex emerged in the 13th and 14th centuries, including a chapel dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene, first documented in 1212, alongside a courtroom known as the aula castri from 1268 and a governmental hall, the sala castri, from 1307. Avigliana Castle was also the birthplace of Amedeo VII, known as the Red Count, in 1360. Notably, it served as a prison for Philip II of Piedmont in 1368, an event remembered in local tradition.

After the 15th century, the castle’s strategic role diminished, changing into a fortress controlling the lower Susa Valley. It suffered repeated damage over the centuries; the French inflicted cannon fire destruction in 1536. Later, during the late 17th century, Marshal Catinat ordered its demolition using mines in 1691. The castle was never rebuilt, as newer fortifications such as Brunetta di Susa (1708) and the Fort of Exilles took over defensive responsibilities.

In 1882, the ruins were given to the local municipality and underwent restoration about a decade later. The site became part of a public park in 1927 and saw some use during World War II. Local folklore recounts stories of French soldiers burying stolen officers’ pay near the castle entrance, marked by a distinct boulder with an arrow, and tell of hauntings, including the spirit of Philip II, who died in captivity there.