La Castiglia

Since 1207 an ancient castle of the Marquises and then a prison in the 19th century, the Castiglia di Saluzzo, located in the upper part of the city, has been home since 2006 to the Museum of Chivalrous Civilisation, the Prison Memory Museum, the Historical Archive and the Garuzzo Foundation.

An ancient castle of the Marquises, Castiglia represents the highest expression of the role of capital that Saluzzo held for centuries. The popular name Castiglia probably derives from the Latin plural castella and perhaps alludes to a complex of fortifications already present between 1270 and 1286. Originally a typical mediaeval castle with high walls and four cylindrical towers, Castiglia underwent subsequent alterations that changed its structure until it became a stately home. The French occupation of the territory and the annexation to the Duchy of Savoy in 1601 led to the decay of the building. In 1825, work began to use the ancient manor as a prison: this involved the reconstruction of the main body and the destruction of most of the 15th-century decorations. Since 2006, the complex has undergone restoration work: its premises now house two museums, the Museum of Chivalrous Civilisation and the Museum of Prison Memory, the Historical Archive and the Garuzzo Foundation.