Prasco between Castle, Wine and Landscape

Prasco between Castle, Wine and Landscape

Prasco combines historic architecture, wine and landscape with various ways to experience the town and its surroundings. Castello di Prasco represents architectural history, gardens, material culture and research into Giorgio Gallesio. This castle theme is complemented by the Collinando hiking route, a circular cycling route and the botanical garden in the Mongiut district. This provides cultural and scenic highlights for planning your trip.

Castello di Prasco is a building dating from the 12th century, with a square main structure and three attached, semicircular towers crowned at the top. In the first half of the 19th century, Count Ferdinando Piuma restored the part of the castle used as the owners’ living quarters. In doing so, he preserved the building’s simple structures and original architectural lines. The Castello is surrounded by three hanging gardens laid out on embankments within the walls.

The Arms Hall houses a small museum of material culture. It collects old everyday objects and documents traditional methods of winemaking and beekeeping. The park also contains a remarkably well-preserved neviera dating from the 17th century. For around ten years, the Castello has been home to the Istituto di studi Gallesiani, which promotes research areas addressed by Giorgio Gallesio. In the hanging gardens, Count Giorgio Gallesio had a collection of old fruit-tree cultivars planted in the 19th century.

Collinando Route and Historic Churches

The Collinando hiking route begins at the Piscine di Prasco at Via Roma 15010, Prasco AL, and ends at the Rocca di Visone on Piazza Castello in Visone AL. It is classified as a tourist route of difficulty level T and requires no special physical preparation. Particularly impressive viewpoints open up views across the Visone Valley and the lower Alessandria Plain.

The route passes the former parish church of Saints Nazarius and Celsus, which is now incorporated into the cemetery of Prasco. The building dates from the period between the 11th and 16th centuries. For orientation on site, it is important to distinguish between them: the cemetery church, or Pieve, of Saints Nazarius and Celsus is located in the cemetery of Prasco, north of the town on Strada Provinciale 206. It should not be confused with the parish church of the same name in the historic town center.

Near Castello di Prasco stands the Parrocchiale di San Defendente. It dates from the second half of the 17th century and regained its original Baroque appearance through a recent conservation restoration.

Wine Tradition in Monferrato

After Dolcetto, Barbera ranks first in Prasco in terms of production volume. Barbera has been recognized as a DOC wine since January 1970. Cortese is the white wine produced by Prasco’s growers and has carried the designation Cortese dell'Alto Monferrato since July 1979.

Dolcetto, too, has a long-established regional classification. Giorgio Gallesio described it as indigenous and originating in Monferrato as early as 1812 in his work “Pomona Italiana.” In September 1972, Dolcetto received DOC recognition as Dolcetto di Ovada.

Nature and Cycling Tourism

The Giardino botanico dei Mandorli in the Mongiut district covers more than 15,000 square metres and is home to around 1,500 plant species. For cycling tourism, Prasco has a circular route approximately five kilometres long, offering views of the nature and landscape of Monferrato.

More places to include in your travel plans: Lobbi, Odalengo Piccolo, Fresonara, Borgo Adorno, Solonghello, Carbonara Scrivia, Vignale Monferrato, Ombra.

For the higher-level travel overview: Alessandria.