Defending the Langhe: the potential for castle networks within regional and cultural development policy

The Bassa Langa territory, better known as Langa del Barolo, is now internationally recognized and appreciated for its food and wine success over the past few decades. It represents a landscape with a high volume of tourism, primarily due to its wine production. However, the strong seasonality of this tourism, mainly concentrated in spring and autumn, overshadows an important heritage of fortified architecture that has existed since the medieval period. Starting from the 10th century, the main urban centers perched on the Langa hills saw the construction of structures for defense and territorial sighting. This deeply interconnected architectural system, built on a territorial scale, saw the Falletti family as one of the major innovators in the political, economic, and military development of the area. If we consider the Castiglione Falletto structure as a hypothetical geographical hub, the castles of La Volta, Barolo, Perno, Serralunga, Grinzane Cavour, and Roddi are easily identifiable around it. These historical architectures are today predominantly privately owned, in varying states of conservation, with some having been repurposed, others currently undergoing restoration, or some in total abandonment. Based on these considerations, this proposed contribution aims to provide significant historical insights that highlight a common thread across different eras, from which a unique and particularly valuable territorial system now emerges within the region's cultural development policy. Indeed, it’s possible to define a project for the conservation and enhancement of these structures to rediscover the historical dimension of this territory. This initiative aims to de-seasonalize tourism and diversify the offerings, making them more aligned with the culture of the historical landscape and the heritage preserved over time.