ZAVATTARELLO

The  access to the old town developed around the castle is from Piazza Luchino Dal Verme, passing under a tower above a pointed arch. Along the route to the Castle, recently restored, there are many medieval houses still well preserved and rich in ancient decorations. The visit to the old village can be, also, an unthinkable reason of pleasant discoveries.

The artistic and cultural beauty are not limited to the Castle and the ancient village. In the fourteenth century Oratory of San Rocco, communicating with the Town Hall through the bell tower, there are a precious wooden altar of the fifteenth and fifteen paintings depicting the Stations of the Cross attributed to the school of Tintoretto. Historically interesting, behind the Saint Paul Church, it’s the seventeenth-century octagonal cemetery that houses the graves of the Counts Dal Verme.

Even the most modern part of the village has attractions. Zavattarello is small, but has all the facilities necessary for the citizen but also for tourists: shops, recreational places, monuments, pharmacy, post office, banks, medical clinic, police. All surrounded by unspoiled nature, tradition and modernity are mixed here, they are melted together in a harmonious balance.

 

HISTORY

Legend tells that Zavattarello was a refuge for Romans deserters escaped from the battle of Trebbia, won by Hannibal in 218 BC. The presence of a village at that time is confirmed by the discovery of a Roman necropolis, although other oldest finds suggest that the place was already inhabited before.

At the end of the tenth century was built the original core of the castle that dominates the village. It was a possession of the bishop of Bobbio until 1169, when, during the struggle between Pavia and Piacenza, was conquered by the latter.

In 1209, Zavattarello became again a possession of the bishop of Bobbio. Start fights for possession of the manor between the two factions of Piacenza: one led by the Ghibelline Landi family and the Guelph led by the House of Scotti. The war and diplomatic vicissitudes allowed both parties to govern the feud: the last winner was the Landi, who held up Zavattarello until the approaching era of Visconti family. Ubertino Landi, warlord and great raider, fortify the fortress making it impregnable and became the terror of the region.

The affirmation of the Visconti marked the rise of the Dal Verme: in 1385 the bishop of Bobbio attributed the feud to Jacopo Dal Verme, a native of Verona. This famous soldier of fortune, who earned a quote from Lodovico Ariosto in his Orlando Furioso , was the first of the Dal Verme family to have possessions in Oltrepò Pavese.

In 1485 Lodovico il Moro poisoned the Count Pietro Dal Verme, who left no male offspring: he takes possession of Zavattarello, ceding it to Galeazzo Sanseverino, Count of Caiazzo.

In 1499 Ludovico il Moro fled from Milan before the advancing French army and took refuge in Germany.

In 1525, with the conclusion of the battle of Pavia, and after several fights between families, the Dal Verme returned in possession of Zavattarello.

In 1817 Zavattarello passed by the Diocese of Bobbio to that of Tortona.

During the raid of the Second World War, in 1944, the Nazis burned the castle damaging it considerably.

The Castle, and the hill below, are donated in 1975 by the family Dal Verme to the citizenship of Zavattarello. So after a few years the City began the restoration of the fortress. The Dal Verme Castle was officially opened to the public in 1999 and, in 2003, it was set up inside the Museum of Contemporary Art "Giuseppe and Titina Dal Verme".

 

DAL VERME CASTLE

The Castle of Zavattarello was an impregnable fortress that has endured for centuries to numerous sieges. Completely built of stone comes to have a wall thickness of 4 meters.

The fortress, ancient cornerstone of the defense system of the possessions of the house of Dal Verme, overlooking the ancient village located on the hill, which was once completely devoid of vegetation to allow the defenders of the manor of spotting any attacker. The impregnable fortified building also included a chapel, stables, and a dwelling that was the seat of the military school founded by Jacopo Dal Verme.

Today, however, the green that surrounds the castle is a protected area, a local park of about 79 hectares.

From the terrace and from the tower, in fact, you can enjoy an incredible view of the surrounding area: the countryside, woods, hills and even the other castles in the area - Montalto Pavese, Valverde, Torre degli Alberi, Pietragavina. Significant experience to understanding the strategic choice of the place in which to build this castle.

The Castle is currently completely renovated and open. Several events, such as exhibitions, ceremonies, weddings and conferences, animate still its halls, creating a bridge between the ancient and the modern.

A GHOST AMONG THE WALLS

In addition to important historical facts, the Castle was also witnessed of many strange events that still remain without a plausible explanation. They are attributed to the spirit of Pietro Dal Verme, lord of the castle in the fifteenth century.

Pietro was betrothed to Chiara Sforza, the daughter of the powerful lord of Milan Galeazzo Maria Sforza: it was pure marriage of convenience that aimed to merge two exponents of two rich and powerful families in Northern Italy.

Pietro, however, was in love with another woman, Cecilia Del Maino, with which he was able to have the consent to marry; but the Sforza didn’t like it. The couple spent some happy years together, until the untimely death of her. Being Chiara Sforza still unmarried, in a short time Pietro had to resign to accept the marriage with the latter.

Although it was a marriage of convenience, historians of the period argue that Chiara Sforza never had accepted the first refusal in favor of Cecilia, so, perhaps instigated by his uncle Lodovico il Moro, who would get decent benefits from the death of the Dal Verme, Chiara killed her husband with a powerful poison on October 17, 1485.

Legend has it that within the walls of the castle still roams the restless ghost of poor Pietro. There are numerous testimonies of inexplicable events that occurred in the halls of the Castle of Zavattarello: chairs moved, strange noises, doors open mysteriously, disappeared scores during concerts, faceless male voices.

These testimonies are being investigated by researchers of the paranormal; which have made some visits in the castle, recording anomalies suspicious.

 

CASTLE OPENING HOURS

From April to September

Saturday, Sunday and holidays: 14:30 to 19:30 (last admission at 18:30)

Guided tours every hour

October

Sunday: 14:30 to 17:30 (last admission at 16:30)

Guided tours every hour

The rest of the year

Opening on reservation for groups

Closing days for private ceremony: Saturday, July 25, 2015

Special openings: Tuesday, December 8, 2015

(no reservations required)

 

TICKETS

Whole, from 15 to 64 years: 5,50 €

Children, untill 8 years: free

Boys, 9 to 14 years: € 2.00

Senior, over 65 years: 4,00 €

University: 4,00 €

Members FAI: 4,00 €

Groups, over 15 people: 3,00 €

School groups: 2,00 €

The ticket includes guide, art museum and exhibitions.

For residents of the City of Zavattarello the entrance to the Castle is free.

 

CONTACTS CASTLE

Via Vittorio Emanuele, 41

Zavattarello (PV)

Tel. / Fax +39 0383 589 132 (hours 8-14)

               +39 0383 589 746

Email: castello@zavattarello.org

             zavattarello@libero.it

Website: https://www.zavattarello.org/castello_index.html

 

DIRECTIONS

By car

•        From Milan and Pavia

Motorway A7 to Casei Gerola, then follow for Voghera, then SS461 Voghera-Varzi and SP207 for Zavattarello.

or

From Milan SS412 Passo Penice; Pavia SS35 and then SP203 Casteggio-Zavattarello.

•        From Turin

A21 highway to Voghera, then SS461 Voghera-Varzi and SP207 for Zavattarello.

•        From Genoa

Motorway A7 to Casei Gerola, then follow for Voghera, then SS461 Voghera-Varzi and SP207 for Zavattarello.

•        From Alexandria

A21 highway to Voghera, then SS461 Voghera-Varzi and SP207 for Zavattarello.

•        From Bologna

A1 motorway to Piacenza West, then SS10 up to Borgonovo Val Tidone finally exSS412 Passo Penice.

•        From Piacenza and Brescia

Motorway A21 to Castel San Giovanni, then exSS412 Passo Penice.

By train

•        Station Voghera (Pv) - then bus line Arfea

•        Station Broni (Pv) - then bus line Arfea

•        Station Stradella (Pv) - then bus line Arfea

By bus

•        From Milan line Arfea

•        From Voghera line Arfea

•        From Pavia line Arfea

•        From Broni and Stradella line Arfea

 

MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART "GIUSEPPE AND TITINA DAL VERME"

The Museum, located in the halls of the Castle, offers a collection of contemporary art in continuous growth and evolution, constituting only one of the many attractions offered to visitors of the medieval fortress.

The Museum displays works of Italian art from the second half of the twentieth century to the present, as well as oldest paintings painted by Count Giuseppe Dal Verme, owner of the Castle at the beginning of the twentieth century.

In fact, to the artist Count Giuseppe Dal Verme, and his wife Titina Gavazzi, is titled the Museum, as an act of homage to the great love for art and for this fortress, donated to the citizenship of Zavattarello in 1975 from heirs.

The artists who over the years have showed their works within the halls of the Castle have donated to the City of Zavattarello some of their pieces, allowing the creation of a heterogeneous museum. Thanks to the continuation of donations, this heritage is in continuous and steady growth, so it can achieve in 2011, with the contribution of the Lombardy Region, a new versatile and flexible production, allowing a quick update of the exposure and media information.

The museum consists of five rooms, each dedicated to a different theme, in which great attention is given to young emerging and enhancement of the artists linked to the territory.

Section “Giuseppe Dal Verme”

A special area is reserved, on the main floor, the works of Giuseppe Dal Verme, linked more than others to the castle that still have the name of his family. He devoted great attention to oil paintings, his favorite technique, but also watercolors are not of lesser quality.

 

"Family Portrait Posing"

The most ancient work of the collection of the museum was realized by Mulinaretto following the will of Gian Battista Cattaneo della Volta, ancestor of Count Giuseppe Dal Verme, at the end of the seventeenth century. The painting portrays the wife of Gian Battista Cattaneo della Volta, Marchesa Maddalena Gentile, showing happily her children to guests.

 

Section “Aldo Gambuzzi”

Inaugurated in 2011, the collection of more than 40 sculptures by the artist Aldo Gambuzzi, aka Gambaldo.  Gambuzzi loved living in his home resort of Zavattarello, of which he was an honorary citizen. Just the deep bond that the sculptor had with the local territory brought his heirs to donate to the Museum of Zavattarello the large collection.

 

Section “Luciana Magrini”

Born in Milan, but very present in Zavattarello, Luciana Magrini has always been dedicated to teaching activity both to artistic production, especially to the "third fire" ceramics decoration.

Nature is the favorite subject of her decors, created by numerous sketches copied to live during the summer holidays.

After the artist's death, her sons wanted to donate to the Museum a selection of sketches, unfinished works and work tools of the decorator.

 

CONTACT MUSEUM

Via Carlo Dal Verme, 4

Zavattarello (PV)

Tel. / Fax +39 0383 589 132 (hours 8-14)

               +39 0383 589 746

Email: castello@zavattarello.org

             zavattarello@libero.it

Website: https://www.zavattarello.org/castello_index.html

Guided tours by appointment, with educational workshops.

Structure partially wheelchair accessible.

 

MUSEUM "IL MAGAZZINO DEI RICORDI"

The ethnographic Museum "Storehouse of Memories" allows visitors viewing over a century of tradition and memories through the local farmers and meticulous reconstruction of everyday life: food, school, shops and workshops.

Goal of the cultural association that manages the Museum is the study and preservation of the cultural heritage of rural and artisan of the Oltrepò Pavese, between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, to transmit the historical territorial memory to new generations.

 

CONTACT MUSEUM

Cascina Mirani

Zavattarello (PV)

Tel: +39 0383 589 183

        +39,338,577 64 25

        +39 334 39 62 019

E-mail: magazzinodeiricordi@libero.it

Website: https://www.magazzinodeiricordi.org/

 

MUSEUM OPENING HOURS

June, July, August and September

Saturday and Sunday 16:00 to 19:00

Every day of the year, by reservation, for groups, small groups and schools.

Guided tours by appointment.

Structure wheelchair accessible.

 

INFOPOINT

Piazza Dal Verme, 1

Zavattarello (PV)

Saturday 14:30 to 17:30

Sunday, 10.30 - 12.30 / 14:30 to 17:30

During weekdays it’s possible to contact the municipal offices of Via Vittorio Emanuele, 41

from 8.00 to 14.00.

Email: castello@zavattarello.org

             zavattarello@libero.it

 

AROUND

 

Hermitage of St. Albert of Butrio

Tel. +39 0383 54 21 79

https://www.eremosantalbertodibutrio.it/

 

Castle Oramala

association Spinofiorito

Tel. +39 339 20 98 288

https://spinofiorito.wordpress.com/informazioni-utili-castello-di-oramala/castello/

 

Astronomical Observatory Cà del Monte of Cecima

Tel. +39 327 76 72 984

https://www.osservatoriocadelmonte.it/

 

USEFUL LINKS

https://www.zavattarello.org/

https://www.zavattarello.org/facebook.html

https://zavattarello.blogspot.it/

https://www.magazzinodeiricordi.org

https://www.provincia.pv.it/turismo

https://www.visitpavia.com

https://itineraripavia.hapax.it

https://www.arfea.it/