The history of a place is steeped in the deeds of men and women, and its properties are always a rich testimony to that fact. Would you like to be the one to write the next pages in the story of a historic aristocratic complex on a panoramic hilltop in the Oltrepò Pavese area? Then let’s talk about the “Castello di Montuè” in Canneto Pavese. This work of art, included on the official Cultural Heritage of Lombardy list, has been much reviewed. Unfortunately, all that remains of the castle are ruins and the remains of the tower – they are, however, quite evocative and sufficient to give an idea of the beauty of its original architecture. Records indicate that it was senselessly demolished between 1925-28 by a private individual with the aim of reselling its construction materials, and the community protested in vain to maintain the pride of its territory.
We believe that the story of this ancient castle, which belonged to the Guelph family Gabbi, then the Beccaria, the Piedmontese Valperga, and finally the family of Rota-Candiani from Piacenza who held it until its demolition, gives a mark of historical and cultural value to any new initiative, with all the added economic value that goes along with it.
Along with the owner we are happy to give you a suggestion – obviously not an obligation – of how to bring new value to and generate work from the proper use of this beautiful noble property: ”The Agricultural Co-Housing Project”.
Let’s first give some basic details about the complex: we are talking about 1000 square metres of living space on two levels, currently divided into 4/6 apartments, 3 of which are renovated and ready to live in (respectively 90+91+146 square metres), an arched cellar of about 300 square metres, a noble room with a spectacular fireplace, a wine bar room, and other rooms to be used as desired located on the ground floor totalling 500 square metres. There are approximately 50,000 square metres of agricultural land in front of the property, and a garden of about 5,000 square metres. The property is located at the end of the village and lies on a promontory that evokes the image of a ship entering the void of the clouds – a high-value scenic location, to be sure! That very “ship” is precisely the shape that some historians have identified in documented reproductions of the architecture and construction of the ”Castello di Montuè”.
Today, the ”Agricultural Co-Housing” project has been developed to awaken a modern sense of entrepreneurship based on innovative crops and on co-housing concepts that stimulate new agricultural and cultural development in the Oltrepò Pavese. In this project, apartments would be assigned to individual owners, and a joint agricultural start-up would be launched: one that would deviate from the classic vineyard and move towards innovative crops such as hops, olive trees (absent in Oltrepò), pomegranates, and so on. The project can be summed up as living together in a magical place, each with their own independent residence, to launch an agricultural activity and sell the products harvested from the crops.
We have given you an idea, but obviously the complex of this historical residence can be interpreted for many uses, including as a simple family residence, a reception space, or many other possibilities. Canneto Pavese is a hilly area about 50 kilometres outside of Milan, at about 320 metres above sea level.
We are always available to provide any details and, if you are interested, arrange a visit to the property.
