Saluzzo Castle was built between 1270 and 1286 on top of previous fortifications. It owes its name to the Latin plural “castella”. Marquis Ludovico II wanted to transform the fortress into a stately home in 1492, when he wedded Margherita di Foix. The massive circular tower and a cycle of monochrome frescoes now partially visible on the staircase leading to the exhibition floors date back to this period.

Starting from the second half of the 16th century, with the end of the Marquisate, the property began to decline. In 1825, work began to transform the building into a prison, a function it maintained until 1992. Today la Castiglia houses the Museo della Civiltà Cavalleresca and the Museo della Memoria Carceraria, in honour of the two main functions performed by the building. The permanent exhibition by IGAV, the Garuzzo Institute for the visual arts, and the historical archive are also located here.

The Museo della civiltà cavalleresca presents the traits of the cultural identity of the Marquises of Saluzzo between the 12th and 16th centuries. Literary references, such as Griselda del Boccaccio's short story and the Chevalier Errant, link the marquisate with the papacy, the empire, the main European states and the Italian courts.

The Museo della memoria carceraria attempts to highlight the different transformations linked to the historical period, the different concepts of punishment and the different choices of criminal policy. The exhibition was attended by academics, prison workers and former prisoners and citizens of Saluzzo. The prison walls are still intact, and they allow the visitor to follow a path that shows off the Castiglia in all its grandeur, even today.