The tower
It represents the real symbol of Barbaresco and from its top you can see all the surrounding towns, the course of the Tanaro river, Alba, up to Cherasco on one side, the distant Asti on the other, all enclosed by a magnificent natural amphitheater constituted from the mountain range of the Alps.
Built at the end of the 11th century, according to current studies, the exact history of its construction is unknown. It was part of a complex system of fortifications and a castle older than the current one. The building probably belongs to a system of watchtowers that developed along the Tanaro river on the territory of the cities between Asti and Alba, the war heritage of the Duchy of Monferrato.
The square base is made of brick, stands on a sandstone base and reaches up to a height of 30 meters. At the top there are still remains of the battlements that formed a crown at the time of construction. It is likely that it was not built only by local workers and technicians, by virtue of the regularity and perfection of the building, which suggests the high professionalism of the builders.
The lower part up to just under two meters represents a kind of central well, with rather thick walls. Higher up are two successive rooms covered by a barrel vault, which have already been restored in the past. The tower is half-filled with earth and can be reached through a ladder on the side of the Tanaro river. Since 1985 it has been owned by the Municipality and has undergone several restoration works.
