 Molteno's "il Ceppo" hill forms a natural fortress and medieval documents confirm that during the time of the Holy Roman Empire, Molteno was a castle, surrounded by fortifications that were later pulled down in peacetime (although the "Piazza di Castello" still marks the spot).Emperor Barbarossa of the Holy Roman Empire, in his long-running war against an alliance of powerful Italian city states, led several enormous armies through this region in order to attack Milan.With the prosperity of the Renaissance, the republican city states (""Communi"") of Italy came to be increasingly dominated by powerful families (""Signorie"").