| Castelmur Castle | |
|---|---|
Palazzo Castelmur | |
 Palazzo Castelmur | |
  Location in Switzerland Show map of Canton of Graubünden Castelmur Castle (Stampa) (Switzerland) Show map of Switzerland | |
| General information | |
| Type | Mansion |
| Architectural style | Baroque,Neo-Gothic,Moorish |
| Location | Bregaglia,Switzerland |
| Coordinates | 46°20′23″N9°33′42″E / 46.3398°N 9.5617°E /46.3398; 9.5617 |
| Construction started | 1723 |
| Renovated | 1850-1855 |
| Owner | Municipality of Bregaglia |
Palazzo Castelmur orCastelmur Castle is acastle in the village ofStampa in themunicipality ofBregaglia of theCanton of Graubünden inSwitzerland. It is a Swissheritage site of national significance.[1]
The Palazzo was built in 1723 for Johannes Redolfi. Around 1850 Baron Giovanni de Castelmur (1800-1871), a descendant of the Castelmur family from the nearbyCastelmur Castle bought the Palazzo as well as the ruins ofCastelmur Castle in Bondo. Giovanni was the son of a wealthyMarseille pastry shop owner, who after becoming a successful businessman returned to his family's ancestral village. At the age of 30 he became a property owner in the village,[2] though it is still unclear how he managed to acquire his fortune or title.[3] In 1840 he married his cousin Anna Castelmur (1813-1892) from the nearby village ofVicosoprano.[4]
In 1850 Giovanni and Anna began the expansion and renovation of the old structure. Under the direction of Milanese architect Giovanni Crassi Marliani the exterior was redone in aMoorish inspiredNeo-Gothic style.[5] The brick frontfaçade is flanked by two large towers, both the façade and towers crowned withmachicolations andcorbels. The older parts of the mansion were decorated withpaneling and wall paper. The new additions were decorated in the Louis Philippe style withRococo andBiedermeier elements. The walls are covered with ornate murals and silk wallpaper. Many of the ceilings were covered withtrompe-l'œil paintings by Gaspare Tirinanzi[6] and wall paintings by Zaverio Tessera.[5] The Palazzo was surrounded with anEnglish garden and a 2 m (6.6 ft) tall wall.
Both Giovanni and Anna were patrons of the arts and philanthropists who supported many organizations in the region. As the couple never had children, after Anna's death the Palazzo was inherited by other relatives. In 1961 the heirs sold the castle and surrounding lands to the local government of the Circolo di Bregaglia. The local government converted it into a museum. On the second floor is the Archivio Storico, an archive that stores and researches documents relating to theVal Bregaglia region. Additionally on the second floor there is a permanent exhibit dedicated to the history of Graubünden's pastry bakers, a tribute to Giovanni's upbringing.[3]
