Castello Ceconi
The fairy tale castle
The Castle
Ceconi Castle stands in the fairy-tale Ceconi Forest in Pielungo, Arzino Valley. The estate also includes a park, in which the circular fountain with two concentric planes stands out. The history of the castle is rather unique because the building is actually the villa of Giacomo Ceconi, a prominent building contractor, who, in the early 1900s, had his own residence built with the characteristics of a castle to agree to the title of Count of the Crown of Italy, of which he had been awarded.
Previous
Next
About this place
01.
Architecture
Ceconi Castle is a magnificent neo-Gothic manor house with Art Nouveau elements, nestled in a beech forest. The building has recently been renovated so that its frescoes and battlements, loggias and Gothic balconies can be admired.
02.
Ceconi's story
Giacomo Ceconi is a very interesting figure, a contractor of humble origins who built many railroad works in his long career and was awarded the title of count. Not only that, Ceconi is known for his admirable large-scale reforestation work in the Arzino Valley.
03.
Visible only from the outside
Since 2008, Ceconi Castle has been purchased by the company Graphistudio, which has designated it as its headquarters and conducts its workshops there. For this reason, the use is private and the castle cannot be visited; it can only be admired from the park that can be freely accessed.
Landscape
The castle is located in the village of Pielungo, in the Arzino Valley, a still wild and unspoiled valley where man has not left indelible signs of his passage but has coexisted with nature, respecting it.
The villa stands in a beech forest, Ceconi Forest, in the wooded setting that characterizes the entire valley. Ceconi himself loved his land and the Arzino Valley deeply and was an important promoter of reforestation, so much so that he planted pine, fir and larch trees on his extensive property, totaling about 1,900,000 seedlings in just under two decades. To date, in the Arzino Valley, it continues its work with a tree cover plan.
History and architecture
Ceconi Castle is the latest work of Giacomo Ceconi, who transformed his birthplace into this fairy-tale villa, destined to house his descendants in his hometown of Pielungo. As a great railroad builder, Ceconi used his knowledge in the construction of this splendid residence, hidden in the peace of a beech forest.
The castle is an imposing neo-Gothic manor house with several frescoes on the facade and adorned with 4 statues above the main entrance. The statues depict four poets-Dante Alighieri, Francesco Petrarca, Ludovico Ariosto, and Torquato Tasso. The frescoes commemorate other illustrious luminaries, such as George Stephenson, the inventor of the locomotive, Alessandro Volta, Leonardo da Vinci, and Alessandro Manzoni.
A curiosity: the tallest tower was designed to serve as a bell tower and summon workers.
The visitable area
Unfortunately, the interior of Ceconi Castle cannot be visited because it has been designated for private use. The company that owns it allows visitors to enter the park and admire it from the outside, through the open pedestrian gate on the left side of the main gate.
Getting there
Drive along the Arzino Valley SP1 northward. Follow the signs to the hamlet of Pielungo. From the town square go down the road into the forest for about 2 km to the castle.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Ceconi Castle was sold by the Provincial Mountain Economy Board and put into private use. The property is currently owned by the company Graphistudio.
Unfortunately, the castle property is private and it is not possible to visit the interior. The outdoor park can be freely visited and has toilets open to the public.
Yes, you can enter and a visit is absolutely recommended. The garden is very beautiful, especially in spring, and admiring the castle up close is very impressive.
Share this page
Discover other places
The contents of this page are protected from reproduction and copying with a digital certificate
