Castle on Mount Tanano

The Castle of Monte Tanano: Ingenuity and Battles in the Middle Ages

In 1435, Nicolò Piccinino, the famous mercenary captain in the service of Filippo Visconti, Duke of Milan, conquered the castles of Varese Ligure and Monte Tanano, marking the beginning of a series of struggles for territorial control. Forty-three years later, in 1478, the Castle of Monte Tanano passed into the hands of the noble Landi of Compiano, ally of the Duke of Milan, triggering the response of Gian Luigi Fieschi.

The Stratagem That Changed the Castle’s Fate

To reconquer the fortress, Gian Luigi Fieschi devised a clever stratagem: he brought near the castle a group of armed men from the army of King Ferdinand of Naples, his ally against the Duchy of Milan, and summoned a large number of inhabitants from nearby villages—Comuneglia, Cassego, Castiglione, Lagorara—including women and children, armed with drums, horns, and flags. During the night, amid large fires and festive sounds, the Lombard troops, terrified by the apparent enemy army, fled, abandoning the castle, which was thus captured by the Fieschi and their allies.

From Destruction to Historical Memory

In 1492, Gian Luigi Fieschi decided to destroy the castle to prevent future enemy conquests and to reduce management costs. A few years later, along the left bank of the Crovana, a new district of Varese Ligure arose, marking the transition from medieval stronghold to inhabited center. Today, the remains of the castle are still clearly visible and can be reached via a pleasant walk from the town center, silent witnesses of strategies, battles, and local history.