In the heart of the Lomellina, about 30 kilometers from Pavia, stands one of the most fascinating yet lesser-known medieval castles of the Po Valley: Valeggio Castle in Lomellina. Imposing and austere, it tells centuries of history through its seven asymmetrical towers and its distinctive trapezoidal layout. Built in the 13th century, this remarkable fortress is an unmissable stop for anyone visiting the Province of Pavia.

Here, layers of civilization overlap in an extraordinary way: from Roman necropolises to Lombard legends, and finally to medieval chronicles that feature Queen Theodelinda as one of their protagonists.

Valigium: the Lombard roots of an ancient name

The name Valeggio traces its origins back to the Lombard era, when the village was likely known as Valigium. This etymology is more than a simple linguistic curiosity: it is linked to one of the most evocative stories of the early Middle Ages in northern Italy, that of the Via Regia, the ancient road travelled in 590 by Queen Theodelinda together with her husband Agilulf, Duke of Turin and later King of the Lombards.

Historians believe that when Queen Theodelinda traveled from Lomello to Milan, she passed through Valeggio. This detail transforms the small Lomellina village into a small but meaningful piece of Italian history: a stop along a royal route that connected the Lombard court with the great cities of the Po Valley. The Via Regia was not simply a road; it was the axis of Lombard power, and Valeggio was part of it.

The 13th-century castle: architecture and trapezoidal layout

Visible from afar while driving through the Lomellina countryside, Valeggio Castle appears as a complex and striking architectural structure. Built in the 13th century, the fortress is notable for its trapezoidal plan, unusual among the castles of the Po Valley, which typically follow more regular quadrangular layouts.

Seven towers: a unique asymmetrical defensive system

One of the castle’s most distinctive features is its seven towers, arranged asymmetrically and differing in shape and size. This irregularity is not a design flaw; rather, it reflects defensive requirements and the structural changes that occurred over the centuries. Each tower served a specific tactical or architectural purpose.

The result is a unique skyline that has made Valeggio Castle an iconic landmark within the Lomellina landscape.

Its monumental presence can be perceived from a great distance: the massive walls, battlements, and towers rise from the plain with a scenic impact that few other castles in the Province of Pavia can match. For photographers and enthusiasts of medieval architecture, Valeggio offers views of exceptional character.

The Roman necropolis: more than two hundred tombs and an exceptional archaeological heritage

The charm of Valeggio in Lomellina is not limited to its medieval architecture. Beneath the ground surrounding the castle, archaeologists uncovered a Roman necropolis with more than two hundred tombs, revealing an extraordinary collection of artifacts.

These discoveries demonstrate that Valeggio was already an inhabited and significant site centuries before the castle was built. Most of the finds from the necropolis are now preserved and displayed at the Lomellina Archaeological Museum in Gambolò, one of the most important museums in the Province of Pavia for its collection of Roman and pre-Roman artifacts from the region.

A combined visit to Valeggio Castle and the museum in Gambolò allows visitors to explore a historical timeline that spans from the Roman age to the late Middle Ages.

How to reach Valeggio in Lomellina and its castle

Valeggio in Lomellina is located in the Province of Pavia and can be easily reached by car via the roads that cross the Lomellina plain. The village lies only a few kilometers from Lomello, another important historic center in the area, and fits perfectly into a medieval Lomellina itinerary that may also include Vigevano, Mortara, and Gambolò.

In spring, when the rice fields are flooded, Valeggio Castle reflects in a horizon of water and sky, transforming the Lomellina plain into an almost surreal landscape suspended between earth and reflection.

Info: www.castellodivaleggio.it