On horseback for passion

The Candelo's Ricetto

A medieval village a few steps from Tenuta La Mandria

Candelo's is undoubtedly one of the best-preserved Ricetto in Europe. Presented in several other locations in Piemonte and Central Europe, the Ricetto is a fortified medieval age structure that served as a shelter for the people or local lords' goods and welcomed the population in the event of an attack. Candelo was built by the local peasant community, which mainly housed land, grain and wine.

The structure

There are about two hundred buildings (cells) that make up the Ricetto for a total area of approximately 13,000 m2 pseudo-pentagonal shape. The perimeter of about 470 meters is entirely covered by walls, with the exception of the southern side on which the Town Hall was built in 1819. A cylindrical tower stands out at every corner of the structure.
The only access to the Ricetto was guaranteed through the Tower Gate, a massive parallelepiped tower with squared boulders at the bottom and brick at the top, with two openings externally closed by lifting bridges: the largest for wagons and the smallest to pedestrians.
Five roads cross the complex east west intersected by two orthogonal streets. With a clear Frenchism, they were called with the name of "rue".

The dating of the Ricetto of Candelo

Early news about the existence of Canderium, this was the ancient name, found in a 988 after Christ but it is ignored which was its aspact at that time and when has been the start date of its construction. The actual aspect is almost what it was supposed to have towards the end of 1400, when the feudal lord Sebastiano Ferrero claimed property and made his home, the Prince's Tower, the Ricetto’s tallest building.

Ricetto and Cinematography

The rare beauty of Candela's Ricetto and the intact atmosphere that made her breath made it the ideal set for many movies and costume drama including the unforgettable "Promessi Sposi" in the comic key of Marchesini-Solenghi-Lopez's trio, "Virginia, the monk of Monza" with Giovanna Mezzogiorno," The Black Arrow "of 1968 with Loretta Goggi, and in the remake of 2005/2006, with Martina Stella and Riccardo Scamarcio, and" Dracula 3d "by Dario Argento.

Since 2002 the Ricetto is part of the Club of the Most Beautiful Villages of Italy certified by ANCI, and since 2007 Candelo is the Orange Flag of the Italian Touring Club.