Clinging to a rock at the top of the narrow Valle dell’Orba which Alessandro Manzoni cites in one of his ”Odi Patriottiche” (“Patriotic Odes”), the Rocca Grimalda Castle (Castello di Rocca Grimalda ) is characterized by an imposing five-storey circular tower. In the 18th century, after a series of owners, it was transformed into a noble residency by the Grimaldi family. In fact, it was the Grimaldi family who oversaw the castle’s enlargement, building an ex novo west wing where the Church di Santa Limbiana is found - to whom the precious chapel adorned with architectural “trompe l’oeil” is dedicated. Besides the castle, Rocca Grimalda’s fortified historical center is an interesting place to visit, where, every year, ancient carnival rites from the “Lachera”, an ensemble of ritual and symbolic dances that hark back to the ancient “abbeys” from the far-off alpine valleys, are recreated.
