| The first literary mention of the Torriglia Castle was in a Papal Bull issued in 1153, but anecdotal evidence places the construction of the nucleus of the castle well before the year 1000. The castle was originally owned by the Malaspina family who, under the protection of Federico II, administered and attended the castle until 1250. In the second half of the 13th century, Guglielmo Malaspina turned the castle over to the Fieschi family who, despite many attempts by others to conquer the castle, kept it in their hands until 1547. Following the long possession of the Fieschi family, during the reign of Emperor Charles V the castle was handed to the Doria family. The Doria family began to impose heavy import-export duties on the local population, which highly aggravated both the merchants and peasantry. |
The tensions culminated to the point when, in 1799, the castle was attacked and destroyed by the neighbouring community of Torrigliese.
The castle has been demolished and reconstructed many times, therefore it is difficult to place an exact date on the construction of the original structure. Several scholars have theorized that the foundation dates from Roman times. |
It is certain that the castle’s towers contain elements that are older than the walls and interior structures.
Today, thanks to financing by the Region of Liguria, the castle has continued to be restored and is well on its way to becoming one of the most important cultural artifacts in the province.
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