The history of the castle of Marne di Filago

Marne di Filago - In Marne, in the municipality of Filago, there is a castle with a very ancient history. It is thought that it was built before the year 1000, and that it is located where there must have already been forts from the Roman era, between the Brembo river and the Dordo torrent. The castle was the protagonist of the bloody fights between Guelphs and Ghibellines, and was destroyed, together with the neighboring castles of Grignano and San Gervasio, in 1404 by the gangs of Pandolfo Maltesta.

It was then rebuilt in 1429 by the Avogadro brothers. The subsequent vicissitudes date back to 1705, when German soldiers sacked it during the wars of succession for the Spanish throne. It was from the beginning of the nineteenth century that the castle began to transform itself from a stronghold into a noble residence. It was first owned by the Piatti Donati family, and then by Count Marino Colleoni who ordered a complete renovation, carried out by the architect Galbiati. Today the castle retains its medieval appearance on the outside, with crenellated towers and what remains of the drawbridge, while inside it appears as a luxury residence complete with garden, fountain and well.