The origin of the village is very ancient; it is believed that the Ligurian tribes of the Stazielli were the first permanent inhabitants, but they were decimated in the 2nd century B.C. and eventually Romanized by the Empire.
The Romans, in turn, were defeated by the Lombards between the 6th and 7th centuries, whose domination lasted until the end of the 8th century, during the time of Charlemagne. Afterwards, the history of Molare followed the events of the entire Monferrato territory, involving the Aleramici, the Marquises del Bosco, and the Malaspina, with the dominant figure of Isnadro, who died in 1331. The Malaspina ruled for over 130 more years, after which the Palleggi took over, followed by wars involving the French, Spanish, Habsburgs, and the Italian League, until 1530 when the Gonzaga of Mantua governed the area until the early 18th century. These two centuries were also marked by wars and suffering in a part of Monferrato considered a borderland, with Molare at the center of occupations and sieges.
After a period of relative calm under the House of Savoy, wars against the French and Genoese brought new devastation to the village. After Napoleon and the return of the Savoy, Molare began to grow, following the historical events of the entire Italy. The village still retains a fairly medieval urban layout in Ligurian style.
The castle, originally built in the 13th century by the Malaspina together with the surrounding walls, was later modified, and in the second half of the 16th century, once in the possession of the Gajoli, it became a “casa-forte” (fortified house). In the 17th and 18th centuries, it underwent significant internal transformations, including the creation of a garden with now centuries-old trees, a grand staircase, a reception hall, and the renovation of other rooms in Rococo style. Still inhabited by the Gajoli, the castle underwent further modifications starting from the 1800s; some rooms were frescoed by Pietro Ivaldi, called “il Muto,” whose works are often found in churches decorated during that period. External modifications were also made: towers were raised and roofed, causing the battlements to disappear.
The oldest building in Molare is a religious one: the Pieve of Santa Maria di Campale, the first parish church of the village, dating back to the 13th century. Pre-Romanesque in style, with a simple gabled façade and a small bell gable, it has a particular quadrangular apse built with stone and bricks. Inside, the floor is terracotta, the ceiling has wooden trusses, and the walls are decorated with 15th- and 16th-century frescoes. The Pieve is located within the cemetery enclosure in the lower part of the village.
In the village center is the church of N.S. della Pieve, built in 1702 but consecrated a century later.
Among the civil buildings, Palazzo Tornielli stands out with its characteristic neoclassical façade, built by Count Tornielli in 1834 and still inhabited by the family. Monumental staircases, frescoed halls, period glass and furnishings, as well as an outdoor winter garden make the palace a venue for events and exhibitions, which is its current function.
Due to its proximity to Liguria, Molare shares with the maritime region a curious festival: the launch of the stockfish, a team game in which the winner is the team that makes the “fish” follow a predefined path in the shortest time with the fewest throws possible.
Around Molare, a hike leads to the famous Molare dam, a large structure immersed in nature, associated with a tragedy in 1935 when a secondary dam, following a landslide, released the waters of the artificial lake suddenly and violently. The flood caused the death of 111 people.

The origin of the village is very ancient; it is believed that the Ligurian tribes of the Stazielli were the first permanent inhabitants, but they were decimated in the 2nd century B.C. and eventually Romanized by the Empire.

The Romans, in turn, were defeated by the Lombards between the 6th and 7th centuries, whose domination lasted until the end of the 8th century, during the time of Charlemagne. Afterwards, the history of Molare followed the events of the entire Monferrato territory, involving the Aleramici, the Marquises del Bosco, and the Malaspina, with the dominant figure of Isnadro, who died in 1331. The Malaspina ruled for over 130 more years, after which the Palleggi took over, followed by wars involving the French, Spanish, Habsburgs, and the Italian League, until 1530 when the Gonzaga of Mantua governed the area until the early 18th century. These two centuries were also marked by wars and suffering in a part of Monferrato considered a borderland, with Molare at the center of occupations and sieges.

After a period of relative calm under the House of Savoy, wars against the French and Genoese brought new devastation to the village. After Napoleon and the return of the Savoy, Molare began to grow, following the historical events of the entire Italy. The village still retains a fairly medieval urban layout in Ligurian style.

The castle, originally built in the 13th century by the Malaspina together with the surrounding walls, was later modified, and in the second half of the 16th century, once in the possession of the Gajoli, it became a “casa-forte” (fortified house). In the 17th and 18th centuries, it underwent significant internal transformations, including the creation of a garden with now centuries-old trees, a grand staircase, a reception hall, and the renovation of other rooms in Rococo style. Still inhabited by the Gajoli, the castle underwent further modifications starting from the 1800s; some rooms were frescoed by Pietro Ivaldi, called “il Muto,” whose works are often found in churches decorated during that period. External modifications were also made: towers were raised and roofed, causing the battlements to disappear.
The oldest building in Molare is a religious one: the Pieve of Santa Maria di Campale, the first parish church of the village, dating back to the 13th century. Pre-Romanesque in style, with a simple gabled façade and a small bell gable, it has a particular quadrangular apse built with stone and bricks. Inside, the floor is terracotta, the ceiling has wooden trusses, and the walls are decorated with 15th- and 16th-century frescoes. The Pieve is located within the cemetery enclosure in the lower part of the village.

The origin of the village is very ancient; it is believed that the Ligurian tribes of the Stazielli were the first permanent inhabitants, but they were decimated in the 2nd century B.C. and eventually Romanized by the Empire.
The Romans, in turn, were defeated by the Lombards between the 6th and 7th centuries, whose domination lasted until the end of the 8th century, during the time of Charlemagne. Afterwards, the history of Molare followed the events of the entire Monferrato territory, involving the Aleramici, the Marquises del Bosco, and the Malaspina, with the dominant figure of Isnadro, who died in 1331. The Malaspina ruled for over 130 more years, after which the Palleggi took over, followed by wars involving the French, Spanish, Habsburgs, and the Italian League, until 1530 when the Gonzaga of Mantua governed the area until the early 18th century. These two centuries were also marked by wars and suffering in a part of Monferrato considered a borderland, with Molare at the center of occupations and sieges.
After a period of relative calm under the House of Savoy, wars against the French and Genoese brought new devastation to the village. After Napoleon and the return of the Savoy, Molare began to grow, following the historical events of the entire Italy. The village still retains a fairly medieval urban layout in Ligurian style.
The castle, originally built in the 13th century by the Malaspina together with the surrounding walls, was later modified, and in the second half of the 16th century, once in the possession of the Gajoli, it became a “casa-forte” (fortified house). In the 17th and 18th centuries, it underwent significant internal transformations, including the creation of a garden with now centuries-old trees, a grand staircase, a reception hall, and the renovation of other rooms in Rococo style. Still inhabited by the Gajoli, the castle underwent further modifications starting from the 1800s; some rooms were frescoed by Pietro Ivaldi, called “il Muto,” whose works are often found in churches decorated during that period. External modifications were also made: towers were raised and roofed, causing the battlements to disappear.
The oldest building in Molare is a religious one: the Pieve of Santa Maria di Campale, the first parish church of the village, dating back to the 13th century. Pre-Romanesque in style, with a simple gabled façade and a small bell gable, it has a particular quadrangular apse built with stone and bricks. Inside, the floor is terracotta, the ceiling has wooden trusses, and the walls are decorated with 15th- and 16th-century frescoes. The Pieve is located within the cemetery enclosure in the lower part of the village.
In the village center is the church of N.S. della Pieve, built in 1702 but consecrated a century later.
Among the civil buildings, Palazzo Tornielli stands out with its characteristic neoclassical façade, built by Count Tornielli in 1834 and still inhabited by the family. Monumental staircases, frescoed halls, period glass and furnishings, as well as an outdoor winter garden make the palace a venue for events and exhibitions, which is its current function.
Due to its proximity to Liguria, Molare shares with the maritime region a curious festival: the launch of the stockfish, a team game in which the winner is the team that makes the “fish” follow a predefined path in the shortest time with the fewest throws possible.
Around Molare, a hike leads to the famous Molare dam, a large structure immersed in nature, associated with a tragedy in 1935 when a secondary dam, following a landslide, released the waters of the artificial lake suddenly and violently. The flood caused the death of 111 people.

Among the civil buildings, Palazzo Tornielli stands out with its characteristic neoclassical façade, built by Count Tornielli in 1834 and still inhabited by the family. Monumental staircases, frescoed halls, period glass and furnishings, as well as an outdoor winter garden make the palace a venue for events and exhibitions, which is its current function.

Due to its proximity to Liguria, Molare shares with the maritime region a curious festival: the launch of the stockfish, a team game in which the winner is the team that makes the “fish” follow a predefined path in the shortest time with the fewest throws possible.
Around Molare, a hike leads to the famous Molare dam, a large structure immersed in nature, associated with a tragedy in 1935 when a secondary dam, following a landslide, released the waters of the artificial lake suddenly and violently. The flood caused the death of 111 people.