The Story of a Millennial Castle “Brought Back” to Italy

Collection Luxury Lifestyle Magazine #4 Aprile 2024

We are proud to celebrate, with this story, a truly Italian victory aimed at safeguarding the precious real estate heritage of our country. We are talking about the “reconquest” of the famous Castello di Serravalle, first sold to an American and later repurchased by the Giuliani family, originally from Zocca in the province of Modena. The castle is located in a medieval village on the border between the Bologna and Modena areas, in the Samoggia valley, where the historic Boccadiferro palace stands, named after the noble family that owned it until the late 19th century. A palace that combines history, art, and music, and part of the opera Love and Death by the Lucca-born composer Gaetano Luporini is also set within its walls. Then, in 1846, the wedding of Gioachino Rossini and Olimpia Pellissier was celebrated in the ground floor hall.

The place where it stands is called Castello di Serravalle, a municipality of nearly 5,000 inhabitants in the town of Valsamoggia, in the metropolitan city of Bologna, Emilia-Romagna. The American who had purchased the castle was captivated by the property for its location in the village, which rises on Roman foundations, preserving fascinating tales and curious legends.
It was the Giuliani family that brought the castle back to Italy after a significant bidding process and negotiations with the previous buyer, who in turn had purchased Palazzo Boccadiferro from a historic local family. The success of the deal (whose details remain confidential) can be credited to a true “Italian job”—an all-Italian team effort that celebrates the collaboration between Alberto Bignardi, a Collection real estate agent from the RE/MAX group (also president of the FIAIP real estate agents in Modena and broker-owner of RE/MAX Unicorn), and the law firm Picozzi & Morigi of Rome (where Chiara Catalani, Nicola Picozzi, and Daniele Avena worked together), all finalized by the notary from Naples, Francesco Capezzuto, who drafted the transfer deeds. In short, it was a team effort stretching from Naples to Modena, passing through Rome and landing in Serravalle.

Entirely human-sized, walkable in less than an hour, this place primarily expresses the charm of its antiquity, enriched by numerous legends, including the one that tells of a stop by Charlemagne during his journey to Rome. In the Romano-Byzantine era, known as Verabulum, the village was one of the key points of the fortifications intended to protect the Empire’s borders. Fortified at 320 meters above sea level, it was conquered and destroyed by the Lombards in the 13th century A.D., only to be rebuilt on its ancient foundations in the 9th century.
Until 1109, it remained a fiefdom of Matilda of Canossa, and then it was contested, due to its strategic military importance, between Ghibelline Modena and Guelph Bologna. Today, thanks to ongoing restoration efforts, the complex hosts important events, increasingly fostering the development of traditional local activities, which have now become well-established realities. The Castello di Serravalle is undoubtedly one of the oldest buildings ever sold in Italy. Its sale is a testament to professionalism, highlighting the effectiveness of a marketing project based on functional, innovative, and compelling strategies. Starting from the organization of events aimed at promoting the sale (it was the first Open Castle in Italy, with a tour led by historian Michele Luppi and archaeologist Giulia Prampolini), commercial resources were employed to ensure the interests of all parties involved in the transaction.

A true success, amplified by the statements of the new fortunate owner: “Our family has always been in love with this land and its history. The awareness of the uniqueness of this village, and specifically of Palazzo Boccadiferro, pushed us to take this important and ambitious step. The feeling that accompanied us in this decision is affection, a deep connection with the land where we live. Having ‘brought back’ the castle to Italy is a great source of pride for us.”