There are but scant traces in the historical records of its origins, and the date of its construction is a matter of debate: some maintain that it dates back to the thirteenth century, while others assert that the tower was erected in 1350 and the rest some time later. In fact, it is probable that the imposing tower was the original nucleus of the complex, and the other structures were then added around it.
Each year, in the first days of November, the Castle of Grinzane Cavour hosts the Alba White Truffle World Auction, with Italian celebrities and political figures in attendance, as well as cultural icons and the international jet set.
In the fourteen hundred, the castle and the surrounding land belonged to the Marquis of Busca, whose coat of arms were discovered under the plaster in some of the halls.
The castle then passed through many hands, of whom little is known, until in the eighteen hundred, the castle was home for nearly twenty years to a prominent figure of the Italian independence movement: Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour.
The auction is a non-profit affair, and the entire amount earned from the sale of the white truffles (Tuber Magnatum Pico) is donated to hospitals, research institutes and other charities.
The castle is home to the Museo delle Langhe, the Order of the Knights of Alba Truffles and Wines and the Enoteca Regionale wine shop.
