CASTELLO DI PADERNELLO

Padernello is a small rural village in the heart of the Po Valley, accessible via an ancient limes Roman. Here, where you least expect it, the fifteenth-century Padernello Castle, surrounded by the moat and equipped with a drawbridge still in working order, which perfectly recreates the atmosphere of a bygone era.

According to tradition, the castle is guarded by the White Lady, the ghost of Biancamaria Martinengo, which reappears every ten years, on 20 July, accompanied by the evocative magic of fireflies.

Crossing the village and the adjacent wood, you come across the San Vigilio Bridge, the artist's last work Giuliano Mauri, perfectly integrated into the natural landscape.

The presence of the castle, although in forms different from the current one, is documented. as early as the first half of the fifteenth century. It once ruled over a territory rich in vineyards, woods and irrigation ditches and it was the manor house of the noble family of the Martinengo, counts of Padernello and men-at-arms. Over the centuries, the building underwent transformations, eventually becoming, in the late 18th century, the appearance of stately villa which we still admire today.

Passed on to the family in the nineteenth century Salvadego, Of Venetian origin, the castle was abandoned after 1965 and left to decay. In 2002, a heavy snowfall caused part of the old kitchen and the 18th-century ballroom to collapse. 2005 marks a turning pointThanks to the commitment of a community of determined women and men, the castle is being reborn.

Today, the Padernello Castle Foundation takes care of restoration, management and enhancement, transforming it into a lively centre of cultural, theatrical, musical and food and wine initiatives, as well as housing archives and libraries. The Foundation also offers educational workshops and themed itineraries dedicated to schools, making the castle a lively, open place with deep ties to the local area.