This mountain hut, belonging to the Italian Alpine Club (CAI), Gallarate Section, in Alpe Devero is dedicated to the memory of Enrico Castiglioni, a rock climbing instructor who died in his mountains at the age of 24 on the Poncione di Gamma.
The mountain hut was opened on August 4, 1946 by CAI members from Gallarate, who renovated a former barracks of the Italian Financial Guard.
At the time, the 'Rifugio Gallarate' was run by volunteers.
In 1971, the Gallarate Section bought the mountain hut from the Financial administration.
Over the years, there have been numerous managers who alternated at the Capanna Castiglioni, until 1989, when the management was taken over by Isabella Benedet and Tonino Galmarini (who had previously been caretaker from 1961 to 1969). They were succeeded in 1995 by their son Michele and his partner Barbara Bressanin, current managers of the mountain hut.