Castle Pollenzo Castle

Address: Piazza Carlo Alberto, Pollenzo (Bra), Province of Cuneo, Piedmont, Italy

Website: https://www.unisg.it (University of Gastronomic Sciences)

Hours: Public spaces open year-round; institutional hours (University of Gastronomic Sciences, Enoteca) vary - check respective websites

Admission: Free to walk the grounds; some on-site businesses (hotels, restaurants) charge for services

The Castello di Pollenzo is a historic royal-style castle in the frazione of Pollenzo, in the municipality of Bra, Piedmont. The complex is notable today for its reuse as an institution and hospitality centre within a small village setting.

Visitors encounter a compact castle complex with courtyards, landscaped grounds and institutional buildings that host the University of Gastronomic Sciences and related wine and food facilities. The built ensemble is used for teaching, exhibitions and hospitality rather than as a conventional fortress.

The building originally formed part of the Savoyard estate around Pollenzo and was adapted and reused over time for administrative and residential purposes. In recent decades it has been repurposed to host the gastronomic university and visitor functions.

Pollenzo is a frazione of Bra in the province of Cuneo, Piedmont, in northwestern Italy. The castle sits within the small village core amid the rolling vineyards and agricultural landscape of the Roero/Bra area.

• University presence: Since 2004 the castle complex has been home to the University of Gastronomic Sciences, making it a centre for food studies and related public events.
• Food and wine facilities: The site includes hospitality and wine-related facilities that form part of a cultural-food tourism offer in Pollenzo.

What to See#

• Castello complex and institutions: Today it houses the University of Gastronomic Sciences, an institution established to study food cultures and gastronomy, and the complex includes hospitality facilities and wine-cellar displays run in partnership with food and wine organisations.
• Courtyards and grounds: Formal courtyards and landscaped grounds surrounding the castle provide spaces for events and public access, forming part of the historic estate in the village of Pollenzo.

Pollenzo is a short drive (about 6 km) from the town of Bra and about 35-40 km from Alba. By car, take the A33/A33/SS231 depending on direction; regional buses connect Bra with Pollenzo. The nearest major airports are Turin (TRN) and Cuneo (CUF), both an hour or so away by car.

• Combine a visit to Pollenzo with the University of Gastronomic Sciences (check their public events calendar) and the nearby Enoteca (wine bank) for tastings.
• Walk the small internal streets of Pollenzo and look for the marble fountain in Piazza Carlo Alberto - it's a good photo spot.
• Sunday markets and food events are common; consult local listings for seasonal food fairs.