Trecchi Castle: A Historic Medieval Fortress and Noble Residence in Maleo, Italy

Visitor Information

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Official Website: www.maleopizzighettone.it

Country: Italy

Civilization: Early Modern

Site type: Domestic

Remains: Palace

History

Trecchi Castle stands in the municipality of Maleo, Italy, tracing its origins to the early medieval period. The earliest known reference dates to 991 AD, when records mention a lady of the castle named Ermengarda. At this time, the fortress was already established and linked to Emperor Otto III, indicating its significance within the Holy Roman Empire’s northern Italian territories.

The castle suffered destruction in 1157 during a military campaign by troops from Cremona. Soon after, it was rebuilt to strengthen the defenses of nearby Pizzighettone, an important local fortress. In 1164, Emperor Frederick Barbarossa transferred ownership to the Bishop of Cremona, reflecting the site’s strategic and ecclesiastical importance during this period.

Throughout the 13th and 14th centuries, the castle became a contested stronghold amid regional conflicts between the cities of Cremona and Milan. Control of the fortress shifted multiple times. Notably, in 1261, Napoleone della Torre, a leading figure from Milan, captured it. By 1294, allied forces of Milan’s Visconti family successfully defended the castle, demonstrating its ongoing military relevance.

The existing structure largely dates from a major rebuilding between 1532 and 1560. The refurbishment was commissioned by Teodoro Trivulzio, a nobleman of significant influence in the region, with architectural work attributed to Pellegrino Tibaldi. This reconstruction transformed the castle from its medieval military role toward a more refined residence.

In 1645, ownership passed to the Trecchi family, an Italian noble lineage that held the property until the upheavals of the late 18th-century Napoleonic invasions. The family managed to reclaim the castle in 1813 after paying a redemption tax imposed by Austrian authorities, who controlled the region at the time. The Trecchi maintained possession well into the 20th century before selling it following an auction in 1998. Subsequent restorations and ownership changes culminated in a sale in 2023, continuing the castle’s evolving story.

Over time, Trecchi Castle evolved from a defensive fortress responding to medieval warfare into an elegant country residence, reflecting changing tastes and functions across centuries. The site’s architectural expansions and artistic embellishments embody this transition from military stronghold to noble estate.

Remains

The castle presents a distinctive squared block design with two primary facades oriented toward the park and the courtyard. A prominent battlemented tower marks the main entrance, signaling its original defensive purpose. One side, facing the park, features a wide stone staircase ascending to a balcony, which stands above a nymphaeum—a sheltered architectural niche—decorated with a statue depicting a Faun, a mythical creature from Roman folklore representing forest spirits.

The courtyard facade, extensively modified in the 16th century, is distinguished by a three-arched loggia. This open gallery is supported by robust granite columns, blending Renaissance stylistic influences with the castle’s medieval origins. Opposite this loggia stands an 18th-century statue of Neptune, the Roman god of the sea, suggesting later decorative additions to the courtyard.

Internally, the castle’s layout encompasses multiple levels. A basement houses an icehouse, a facility historically used to store ice collected during winter months, preserving food and refreshments. Above ground are the main floors: a ground level, a mezzanine originally intended for servants, a first floor, and an attic. Of these, only the ground and first floors exhibit monumental architectural features corresponding to the castle’s noble residence phase.

Entering through a glazed loggia on the ground floor leads to several key spaces, including a private octagonal chapel. This chapel is noted for its vaulted ceiling frescoed by Bernardino Campi, an acclaimed Renaissance painter. Campi also decorated the chapel’s altar area with religious scenes such as the Nativity and the Adoration of the Shepherds. At the altar itself, a significant artwork by Andrea del Sarto, depicting the Madonna with Child and Saint John the Baptist, is displayed.

The castle also contains richly frescoed rooms located in the northern apartment. These include the Hall of Olympus, the Chamber of Marine Deities, and the Apollo Chamber. The painted ceilings of the Marine Deities and Apollo rooms are the work of Giulio Campi, a contemporary and relative of Bernardino Campi, whose contributions highlight the castle’s artistic heritage.

A central hall at the heart of the castle boasts large hunting scene paintings, illustrating themes common to noble estates of the period. Adjacent to this is the dining room from the 16th century, notable for a sizable fireplace adorned with a relief sculpture attributed to Giovanni Gaspare Pedoni, a skilled sculptor whose work adds refined detail to the interior.

Surrounding the castle is a park once known as the “Piazza d’armi,” or “military square,” reflecting its initial use for martial purposes. The grounds have since been transformed into an English-style garden featuring ancient plane and poplar trees. A gently curving pond fringed by weeping willows provides a tranquil setting, alongside a circular temple structure, embodying the site’s evolution from a defensive complex to a cultivated noble estate.