Murisengo is located in the far northwest of the province of Alessandria, Piedmont, on the eastern edge of the Valle Cerrina.
The town is known as the birthplace of Luigi Lavazza, founder of the internationally renowned coffee brand and industry.
Every November, Murisengo hosts its annual truffle fair, a tradition since 1967.
The municipality includes four hamlets: San Candido, Corteranzo, Sorina, and Casa Battia.
Corteranzo was an independent municipality until 1928, when it was annexed to Murisengo. The locality takes its name from the noble Ranzo family and features the important Church of San Luigi Gonzaga within the cemetery, attributed to Bernardo Vittone.
Murisengo’s roots date back to antiquity, with the first traces of settlement from the Roman era. Over the centuries, the village has preserved its historic and architectural heritage, with cobbled streets, stone houses, and monuments that tell its long history.
The town is rich in cultural heritage, with numerous points of interest, including the Parish Church of San Martino, with its Romanesque bell tower, and the Castle of Murisengo, which dominates the surrounding landscape with its imposing presence.
The Castle of Murisengo is particularly notable for its large tower, renovated—possibly rebuilt—in 1510, a date once indicated on a now-lost plaque, and again in the 19th century. The tower is likely the oldest part of the building, with the earliest indirect records dating back to the 11th and 12th centuries, though the castle was completely rebuilt from the 17th century onwards.
Following the fall of the Marquises of Monferrato, the castle suffered significant damage and underwent multiple reconstructions, losing its original form. Ownership passed from the Radicati family of Brozolo to the Scozia family from 1420 until 1883, when it came into the hands of Francesco Guasco Gallarati, husband of Donna Tarsilla Scozia, Marquis of Bisio and Francavilla, associated today with the town of Francavilla Bisio.After extensive restoration commissioned by a private owner, the castle has been open for guided visits, events, exhibitions, and ceremonies since mid-2012. Among its historical highlights, in 1813 Silvio Pellico wrote the tragedy Francesca da Rimini within its walls.
