Borgomasino is located on a hilly position, a few kilometers from Turin, with a great view of the morainic amphitheater and over the plains of Canavese. Placed at the border between the lands of Ivrea and Vercelli, Borgomasino has two castles built for defensive reasons: the castrum vetus, in town and the castrum novum in the hamlet of Torrazzo, of which only the ruins remain. A description of the castle's structure is preserved in a 1757 blueprint by the Turin architect Tommaso Prunotti. Seriously damaged from an 1818 cave-in, the castle was divided up: one area was given to the nuns for a pre-school and another part was given to the Parish Church di San Salvatore. Around 1870, Luigi Valperga di Masino had the structure transformed into a residential villa using the design of the Turin architect Siniscalchi. The castle remained with the Valperga counts until the end of the 1980's, when it was purchased and restored the present day owners. The castle, brought back to its original splendor thanks to careful restructuring, has become a magnificent 19th century villa, immersed in an age-old park. A medieval tower with a square layout and a rustic wing are what remain of the original structure.
