Dal Verme Castle

Built in the early Middle Ages, in 1383 the fiefdom of Romagnese was purchased by the leader Jacopo Dal Verme, whose family built the castle between the 14th and 15th century, which was named after them.

In the heart of Romagnese, in the upper part overlooking the Val Tidone, stands the Dal Verme Castle, today the seat of the Municipality of Romagnese. Although the exact date of its construction is not known, it is believed that the fortress was built by the Dal Verme family between the 14th and 15th centuries for defensive purposes. It is possible that the castle requested by Jacopo Dal Verme was built on a pre-existing structure dating back to the 9th century. Some historical sources suggest that, on the site where the current castle stands, there was already a house-fort inhabited by the friars of the Monastery of San Colombano di Bobbio, to which the village of Romagnese and its surrounding territory belonged until 1014.

Originally, the imposing building was much larger than we can admire today; what remains is only a surviving wing of the fortress. Built of stone, the castle probably had a "U" plan with the main entrance facing north and four towers located at the corners. The base of the building is still heavily sloped and delimited by a rod crease. The north-west corner is rounded, while the south-west retains the entire spur and the tower, crowned by Guelph battlements covered by a roof. In the upper part of the tower, a walkway allows you to partially walk along the perimeter of the tower, offering a panoramic view of the village, Val Tidone and the valleys that extend towards Monte Penice.

From the small square, a large staircase leads to the municipal offices, while on the second floor there is the Museum of Rural Art (M.AP.LO. 4P - Lombard Apennine Museum of the 4 Provinces). This ethnographic museum collects various everyday objects and work tools used in the ancient workshops and farmers' homes, donated by the families of Romagnese and its 40 hamlets.