Lanzo (515 m) is a characteristic medieval town, located on Monte Buriasco, at the confluence of two rivers, Stura and Tesso. Its position has always made it, and still is, a forced passage for whoever wants to move from the homonymous Valleys to the plain and vice versa.
Margherita of Savoy, Amedeo V’s daughter, in 1296 married to Giovanni of Monferrato had a very important role in Lanzo’s history. She was the Landlady of Lanzo, Ciriè and Caselle territories. During her ruling, the Lanzo Castle was reinforced. Her edicts were famous for their liberalism. At Margherita’s death, the nephew Amedeo VI, «Conte Verde» (the Green Count), inherited Lanzo. In the sixteenth century, the French attacked and destroyed the Lanzo castle. When Emanuele Filiberto regained Piedmont, he granted Lanzo as feud to Filippo d’Este. Following the civil war between “principisti” e “madamisti” (Prince or Lady followers), Vittorio Amedeo II split and sold the Lanzo Marquise territory in several counties, so as to restore duchy finances. Lanzo was sold to Giuseppe Ottaviano Chacherano della Rocca, who owned it until 1792. During the Napoleonic period, Lanzo became subprefecture county seat. From then onwards, Lanzo’s history coincided with Italy’s.
