Govone Castle

Govone Castle was the headquarters of Carretto's family, lords of the village of Finale. At the end of the XII century (very likely starting from 1172) Henry I Del Carretto or his son Henry II established a "caminata", i.e. a feudal palace, above the colle del Becchignolo, the rocky spur that dominates Finalborgo, capital of the marquisate; it was enlarged and fortified by Henry II in 1217. It was partially demolished in 1448 by the Republic of Genoa and immediately reconstructed by John the Del Carretto family between 1451 and 1452. In the course of the next century the castle was further expanded by Alfonso I Del Carretto, son John II and his nephew Alfonso II. The design of these extensions is a typical example of the so-called "military architecture of transition" and it seems inspired by Francesco di Giorgio, with which Alfonso should have had the opportunity to meet in Rome and perhaps in Milan. The first intervention was the addition of a body of triangular factory culminating in the "Tower of diamonds" (about 1490), a tower in the shape of the hull of the ship and covered by a beautiful ashlar. The new body was used to defend the castle from attacks of artillery from the side of the slope that descends toward the sea. Shortly after, in the second or third decade of the sixteenth century began the construction of a boundary external rectangular, whose construction was completed in recent years carrettesco domain (Pre 1558).

Additional external works, but aimed at the security of the castle were made under the spanish dominion. The main intervention was the construction in 1643 of St. John's Castle, which protects the slope below the Govone Castle, preventing any installation of enemy artillery. The last important intervention, work of Gaspare Beretta in 1674, was the excavation of a rocky slope on the northern side, always to prevent that we could strengthen the attackers. Simultaneously were made at the base of the external perimeter a crosspiece, a tip and a road covered to prevent the approaching genieri enemies. The castle was again demolished by artificeri Genoese in 1715 after the purchase of the Marquisate from part of the Republic of Genoa.