Cortanze

Cortanze brings together medieval architectural history, local religious history, and agricultural produce. At its heart is the Castello di Cortanze, with its trapezoidal floor plan, surviving southern tower, and a hall featuring vaulted ceilings and stonework details. Churches, a hiking stage, and local food production add to the picture of the town.

Castello di Cortanze: Architecture and History

The Castello di Cortanze is considered a typical example of late medieval Piedmontese architecture. Its floor plan is trapezoidal. This shape describes the outline of the building and distinguishes it from a rectangular floor plan. The surviving southern tower can be described particularly precisely: it is 22 meters high, contains three rooms arranged one above another, and is crowned by seven Ghibelline swallowtail merlons. The figure of three vertically stacked rooms describes the interior layout, while 22 meters gives the exterior height.

The castle contains a remarkable hall with ribbed vaults. Its sandstone keystones bear symbolic depictions. In a ribbed vault, the ribs form a visible framework; keystones sit where the ribs meet. Naming the architectural elements in this way helps distinguish the vault’s construction from the decorative imagery on the stones.

The exterior is also easy to describe: a park surrounds the entire castle, and a ramp and a Baroque-style gate provide access. From the bastions, one side looks out toward the hills and the other toward the courtyard. The grounds and the courtyard thus offer two different viewpoints that are part of the architectural ensemble.

After a period of complete neglect, the castle was restored and reopened. According to tradition, Emanuele Tesauro was born in the castle tower.

Churches and Local Details

Beyond the castle, the town’s religious history emerges as a distinct focus. The Chiesa della Santissima Annunziata dates from the 14th century and belonged to the Confraternity of the Disciplinants, known as the Batù. The Parrocchiale dei Santi Giovanni e Pietro has a Baroque appearance but older origins. Thus, the Annunziata is notable for its specific date and confraternity affiliation, while the Parrocchiale combines a Baroque appearance with older roots. A European nettle tree (Celtis australis), also known as a hackberry, stands at Piazza Marconi 2.

Hiking Stage and Bus Connections

The third stage of the “Cammini delle alte colline ombrose e delle colline chiare” runs from Soglio to Corsione and follows roads through Cortanze. The entire stage is listed as 11.20 kilometers and 2 hours 40 minutes. These figures apply to the route between the two endpoints, not just the section through Cortanze.

GTT bus services to Montechiaro and Cortanze are available for the route. Check the current timetable before traveling, as transport details may change.

Agricultural Produce

The local agricultural scene includes the Azienda Agrituristica “’L Piasì,” run by Ivo Massoletti. Since its establishment in 2016, it has produced fruit, including Nocciola Piemonte IGP, as well as vegetables and honey.

Discover more destinations: San Martino Alfieri, Refrancore, Soglio, Nizza Monferrato, Valenzani, Asti, Moasca, Calamandrana.

Go to the main travel overview: Asti.