History
The Castle of Montegiove rises on a hillside on the border between the old city-states Orvieto and Perugia and is one of the oldest historical mansions in Umbria.
Dating back to the period of the medieval city-republics (XII Century), it is one of the best preserved castles of that time. Set in the glorious natural landscape of the Umbrian countryside, the Castle enjoys a spectacular view of the surrounding mountains and is just a short distance from Rome and Florence.
The name of the castle originates from the existence of a Roman temple dedicated to “Jupiter Elicius” proven by the discovery of two votive terracotta heads of the God; Giove, also known as Jupiter, is the Roman god of thunder. The construction of the castle itself was due to the efforts of the Bulgarelli family, the counts of Marsciano, and took place sometime between 1278 and 1282. Through the centuries the castle changed ownership many times, becoming property of the family Monaldeschi della Vipera – quoted by Dante Alighieri in “The Divine Comedy”. Other notable owners includes the mercenary, Gattamelata and also the famous Blessed Angelina. Since 1780, the castle has been owned by the Marquises Misciattelli. At the end of the 19th century, the property passed on to the Marchese Lorenzo Misciattelli who restored and transformed the castle into a 19th century residence and winery a project continued by his son Paolo Misciattelli Mocenigo Soranzo