Piedmont - Monferrato - Heritage of UNESCO - One of the most prestigious castles and National Monument, according to the Royal Decree of 1916: located just 3km away from the motorway exit, in a dominant position with 360 degree panoramic views, the Castle San Giorgio Monferrato seems to be the doorway to the Monferrato, area in the middle of the triangle Milano-Torino-Genova (the castle is easily reachable from the three towns in about an hour by car). The property, which used to be the residence of the ruling families of that area (Paleologi, Aleramici, Gonzaga), was built starting from the 10th century, and then enlarged and renovated. The antique central tower (Bastita Moneta) dominates the whole valley; at the feet of the tower, we find the medieval part, which kept its defensive-military aspect until the nineteenth century. The last renovation works were made in the middle of the nineteenth century, when the architect Bollati di Torino (one of the greatest exponents of the period) rebuilt the southern part. Another great architect contributed to the majesty of the castle: during the eighteenth century, Giovan Battista Ferrogio, maximum architect of the century, designed the beautiful chapel. Thanks to these important experts and to the harmonious juxtaposition of different styles, this castle is one-of-a-kind. The property covers an area of 4.300sqm on 5 levels, with typical cellars and "infernot" (heritage of UNESCO). There are about 1000sqm of terraces, 3000sqm of Italian garden and 3,6ha of park, with about 30 monumental plants. State of repair Within the Castle there are some original rooms with baroque decorations, such as stuccoes, wooden works and frescoes, and some original baroque and neoclassical doors. The rest of the castle has generic water-based paint on the walls. The pavements are the original ones: wooden pavement decorated with volutes, venetian-style pavements, marble pavements decorated with geometrical figures by Bollati. Utilities The property is provided with electricity and water, but the systems need to be renewed. The castle is used just during Summer, so the heating system is not working. Location The Castle of San Giorgio is located in a dominant position on the Monferrato hills. It is one of the most ancient castles of the area, according to a map dating back to 856. It is located at 281 metres above the sea level, surrounded by important vineyards, such as Barbera del Monferrato, Barbera d'Asti, Grignolino del Monferrato Casalese, Grignolino d'Asti, Rubino di Cantavenna, Gabiano, Malvasia di Casorzo, all D.O.C. wines, Bonarda, Freisa and Moscato.