Palaces, Castles and Forts

Transcription

In & around Torino
Palaces,
Castles
and Forts
2008/2
009
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www.turismotorino.org
Torino
Piazza Castello/via Garibaldi
Stazione ferroviaria di Porta Nuova
Aeroporto internazionale di Caselle
ph. +39.011.535181
[email protected]
Avigliana
Piazza del Popolo 2
Cell. +39.334.6034334
[email protected]
Pinerolo
Viale Giolitti 7/9
ph. +39.0121.795589
[email protected]
Bardonecchia
Piazza De Gasperi 1
ph. +39.0122.99032
[email protected]
Pragelato
Piazza Lantelme
ph. +39.0122.741728
[email protected]
Cesana Torinese
Piazza Vittorio Amedeo 3
ph. +39.0122.89202
[email protected]
Sauze d’Oulx
Viale Genevris 7
ph. +39.0122.858009
[email protected]
Clavière
Via Nazionale 30
ph. +39.0122.878856
[email protected]
Sestriere
Via Louset
ph. +39.0122.755444
[email protected]
Fenestrelle
Piazza della Fiera 1
ph. +39.0121.83617
[email protected]
Susa
Corso Inghilterra 39
ph. +39.0122.622447
[email protected]
*(closed on Wednesday)
Ivrea
Corso Vercelli 1
ph. +39.0125.618131
[email protected]
Lanzo Torinese
Via Umberto I 9
ph. +39.0123.28080
[email protected]
Torre Pellice
Via Repubblica 3
ph. +39.0121.91875
[email protected]
Venaria Reale
Via Andrea Mensa 34
ph. +39.011.4992326
[email protected]
*(closed on the same days as the Palace)
How to read the guide.
Royal Residences
Ë
Accessible
Snack point
Bookshop
Guided tours
For groups only

Hours
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E
Closing day
Admittance Fee
Free
Opening hours may vary: for updated
information call the toll free number
800 329 329 (00 800 111 333 00 from abroad)
every day from 8.00 am to 10.00 pm.
References
A4
Motorways
Highways
Regional throughroutes, other roads
232
E 70
Number of national
and European roads
Railways with stations and tunnels
Colle del
Monginevro
1854
6
8
13
Gap, height in metres
State frontiers,
regional and provincial boundaries
Natural parks and reservation area
International airport
Sandro Pertini of Torino Caselle
5
11
3
7
9
2
16
1
19
18
15 14
20
12
17
4
To reach Torino
10
da Milano:
da Genova:
da Venezia:
da Firenze:
da Bologna:
da Roma:
da Napoli:
140 km
170 km
400 km
395 km
330 km
675 km
885 km
da Genève:
247 km
da Lyon:
314 km
da Paris:
780 km
da Barcelona: 877 km
da München: 613 km
da Wien:
1024 km
da Amsterdam:1159 km
To move throughout the territory
from Torino
Scale
0
5
10
15
km 20
Avigliana:
Bardonecchia:
Caselle Torinese:
Cesana Torinese:
Claviere:
Fenestrelle:
Ivrea:
Lanzo Torinese:
28 km
92 km
16 km
89 km
95 km
74 km
52 km
34 km
Oulx:
Pinerolo:
Pragelato:
Sauze d’Oulx:
Sestriere:
Susa:
Torre Pellice:
Venaria Reale:
79 km
41 km
111 km
87 km
100 km
56 km
54 km
15 km
In & around Torino
Palaces,
Castles
and Forts
Once upon a time there was a
marvellous territory dotted with
magnificent palaces, enchanting
castles, imposing fortresses… and
it still exists: in & around Torino,
immersed in the beautiful setting of
the Savoy province. Dominating the
hills, the plain or the mountains,
isolated within the greenery of
parks and gardens, or wrapped in
the warmth of their villages, castles
are among the most exciting pages
to read the book of these beautiful
places and interpret their spirit.
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Here every frieze speaks of art and
every tower documents a past which
is rich in history: visiting these
precious castles, one relives heroic
deeds, political events and legends
in a journey across time and space,
from the rigour of the Middle Ages to
the magnificence of the Savoys.
The old dynasty, who reigned over
Piemonte for almost a thousand
years, has left us with possessions
of inestimable value: among these
the Royal Residences shine in
all their splendour. They are an
inheritance of extraordinary cultural
and environmental interest, declared
“World Heritage” by UNESCO in 1997.
These possessions – central in the
city landscape, but also spread out all
over the surrounding areas – used to
be exclusive recreational locations for
hunting and holidays. Perfectly kept,
they tell of centuries of warrior dukes
and beauty-loving kings, of refined
dames who loved ballet and theatre,
of princely ceremonies and parties,
of labyrinths and fountains about
which tales were told all over Europe.
A court capable of keeping itself
amused, but also of protecting itself,
to such an extent that the soil of the
Western Alps, which was for a long
time the object of an intense activity
of fortification aimed at blocking the
passage of the armies through the
valleys, reveals a military presence
without equals in the alpine area.
The imposing ramparts provide
important proof of a historical
stratification of military architecture
which goes from the early Middle Ages
to the Second World War and boast very
skilled architectural work, both from a
structural and from a purely aesthetic
point of view.
The pages of this small guide present the
most enchanting palaces, castles and
fortresses in the area, brought to life in
every season of the year by performances,
events and exhibitions. For you to
start travelling with your imagination,
planning your visit through time amidst
heroism and nobility.
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Castello Biandrate
biandrate
di Foglizzo
Appartamenti Reali
reali
di Borgo Castello
castello
Borgo Castello is located in the
vast La Mandria Regional Park: it is
a historical as well as naturalistic
estate and its peculiarity lies in the
fact that it is the largest planitial
wood in the Pianura Padana,
inhabited by much game. The rooms
of the apartment on the first floor
– more intimate and ordinary than
the official residences, but richly
furnished according to bourgeois
taste of the time – hosted Vittorio
Emanuele II from August 17, 1859
with his two sons and his morganatic
wife Rosa Vercellana – known as
Ë

4
Foglizzo is one of the oldest small
villages in the Canavese area
and Via Curis, which led to Gaul
(present-day France), used to go
through here. According to tradition
San Carlo Borromeo himself stayed
in Foglizzo when he travelled to
Torino to worship the Holy Shroud.
From the 12th century it belonged
to the counts of Biandrate thanks
to Guido the Great, commanding
officer of Federico Barabarossa’s
troupes, who received it as a dowry
Appartamenti Reali di Borgo Castello
Viale Carlo Emanuele II 256
La Mandria Regional Park - Venaria Reale
ph. +39 011 4993381
[email protected]
www.parcomandria.it
How to get there:
A55 Torino beltway, exit Venaria
from his marriage with Isabella
del Monferrato. In 1631, with the
Cherasco treaty, it became part of
Vittorio Amedeo I’s Savoy territory.
In 1885 a royal decree authorized
the town to purchase the Castle,
located in a beautiful elevated
position, where the town hall now
is. The Biandrate family became
extinct in 1958, when the last
countess Maria Luisa died in Torino.
Castello Biandrate di Foglizzo
Via Castello 6 - Foglizzo
ph. +39 011 9883404
[email protected]
www.comune.foglizzo.to.it
How to get there:
A5 Torino-Aosta,
exit San Giorgio C.se or Volpiano;
A4 Milano-Torino, exit Chivasso
Mar-Oct, Mon-Sun: 10.30 am-3.30 pm; Apr-Sept, Mon-Sun: 10.30 am-5.30 pm;
reservation required
Wednesday and Thursday

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“Bela Rosin” – who was never much
appreciated by the government
and the court. A privat atmosphere
dominates: in order to keep
“intruders” away, long “boundary
walls” were erected and are, to this
day, the clear sign of the presence
of the estate. The king’s house was
a faithful reflection of his open, free
and self-assured personality.
Abbonamento Musei
Upon reservation
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Castello Cavour
di Santena
Castello Biandrate
di San Giorgio
Both the village and the castle once
belonged to the powerful Biandrate
family from Novara: in fact it seems
that the village was named after
these counts who had the image of
San Giorgio on their coat of arms.
Up until the 20th century the castle
complex was made up of two buidings:
Castel Vecchio, from the 12th century
and Castel Nuovo, built between the
13th and 14th centuries. The former
was almost completely demolished in
the 19th century and replaced by an
English-style garden; the latter, which
is now the big seigneurial residence,
took on its current appearance in the
18th century.
However, the most important
transformations took place in 1726,
on the occasion of the marriage
between the “marchese” Ferdinando
di San Giorgio and the “marchesa”
Vilcardel de Fleury. From the broad
central ballroom, with its square plan
of 12 metres per side, one reaches the
rooms that make up four apartments.
Castello Biandrate di San Giorgio
Via Biandrate - San Giorgio Canavese
ph. +39 0124 450738
[email protected]
www.castellosangiorgio.it
How to get there:
A5 Torino-Aosta, exit San Giorgio C.se;
A4 Milano-Torino, exit Chivasso or
A4-A5 link, exit San Giorgio C.se
Santena – a town renowned for its
production of much appreciated
asparagus – is known especially for
having been the home town of the
noble Benso family. This is where
Castello Cavour can be found, a work
by the architect Francesco Gallo,
by order of the count Carlo Ottavio
Benso di Cavour and built between
1712 and 1720 on the ruins of an
old castle. The building, which was
renovated in the 19th century by
Giuseppina, Camillo’s favourite niece,
Ë
is in no way military, but was one of
those projects aimed at providing the
pure pleasure of comfort.
The bedroom with furniture and
relics from the Torino palace, where
Camillo Benso died on June 6, 1861,
is on the second floor. The Benso
di Cavour family’s funerary chapel is
in the park. This is where the great
statesman – one of the main authors
of the unification of Italy – was
buried two days after his death.
Castello Cavour di Santena
Piazza Visconti Venosta 2 - Santena
ph. +39 011 9492578
[email protected]
www.fondazionecavour.it
How to get there:
A21 Torino-Piacenza, exit Santena
Ë

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Sunday and holidays upon reservation
May-Oct, Sun: 10.00 am-12.30 pm and 3.00 pm-7.00 pm;
on weekdays upon reservation for groups and schools
Monday and holidays
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Kids under age 6, Abbonamento Musei
Castello Ducale
di Aglié
We are in the heart of the Canavese
area, the old territory – between
Torino and the Valle d’Aosta – where
Arduino (King of Italy between 997
and 1002, commemorated in the
decoration of the reception hall of
the castle) fought and died. But the
central character in the history of the
castle is Filippo San Martino d’Aglié –
an intelligent and sly courtier, artist,
political counsellor and the lover of
the first Royal Madam Maria Cristina
of France – who entrusted the works
of transformation of the castle to the
major architect of his time: Amedeo
di Castellamonte.
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8
In 1763 Carlo Emanuele III purchased
it to increase the appanage of his
younger son Benedetto Maurizio, duke
of the Chiablese area. Towards the
middle of the 19th century the castle
was passed on to the duke of Genoa
Ferdinando – Carlo Alberto’s second
son – and his descendants lived there
until 1939, when they passed it on to
the State.
Castello Ducale di Aglié
Piazza Castello - Aglié
ph. +39 0124 330102
www.ilcastellodiaglie.it
How to get there:
A4 Milano-Torino, A4-A5 link,
exit San Giorgio C.se
Amedeo VI di Savoia – known as
Conte Verde (Green Count) because
he had a predilection for this
colour, which was recommended by
the doctors of the time for curing
sore eyes – had the castle built in
1358. It especially had a defensive
purpose, but very often also gave
hospitality to the Savoy family: for
example on June 13, 1648 it was
here that the first Royal Madam
Maria Cristina of France had her
fourteen-year-old son Emanuele II
proclaimed ruling duke.
In 1676 lightning fell on the main
tower where the powder magazine
Ë

Tue-Sun: 8.30 am-6.30 pm
Monday
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Castello di Ivrea
Partly
was, bringing about an explosion
which caused deaths, destruction
and irreparable damage to the
tower itself, which has since been
severed. From the 18th century
to 1970 the building was used as
a prison: recent restoration work
demolished the factory buildings
which had since been added and
made it possible to visit the
courtyard and some of the rooms.
Castello di Ivrea
Piazza Castello - Ivrea
ph. +39 0125 44415
[email protected]
www.comune.ivrea.to.it
How to get there:
A5 Torino-Aosta, exit Ivrea;
exit Ivrea
May 1-Oct 15, Sun: 10.00 am-12.00 pm and 3.00 pm-6.30 pm;
all year long upon reservation for groups and schools
October 16-April 30, June 2 and August 15
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Under age 18, over 65,
Abbonamento Musei
E
Schools
9
Castello Malgrà
di Rivarolo
According to legend the name
“Malgrà” is due to the fact that the
castle was built “despite” (in Italian
“malgrado”) the opposition of the
Valpergas, the antagonists of the
San Martinos. In fact the castle was
built by Martino di San Martino, lord
of Rivarolo and Aglié, and therefore
was often at the centre of clashes
between the two families. In 1532
the people from Rivarolo, exasperated
by the abuses of power carried out
by the San Martinos, turned to Carlo
III duke of Savoy, who conquered the
castle, killing all its occupants. Only
those who had taken refuge in the
tower were able to escape, for they
managed to run away through the
vaults that led to the Orco river.
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Castello di Masino
The medieval structure, concealed
by work done on it in the 18th
century, was brought to light during
the restoration work of the end of
the 19th century and the beginning
of the 20th century. The architect
D’Andrade drew inspiration from
the entrance to Malgrà Castle when
he designed the drawbridge of
Valentino Castle in Torino.
Castello Malgrà di Rivarolo
Via Maurizio Farina 57 - Rivarolo Canavese
ph. +39 0124 26725 - +39 333 1301516
[email protected]
www.amicicastellomalgra.it
How to get there:
The earliest information we have
about Masino castle is from 1070,
when it was purchased by Pietro di
Masino and became a part of the
largest feud in the Canavese area
belonging to the Valperga counts.
The family became related to
the Savoys thanks to count Carlo
Francesco I, who had an apartment
made inside the castle for his
mistress, the second Royal Madam
Maria Giovanna Battista, mother
of Vittorio Amedeo II. But it was
especially in the 18th century
that the castle took on its current
appearance: according to tradition

E
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Castello di Masino
Via al Castello 1 - Caravino,
frazione Masino
ph. +39 0125 778100
[email protected]
www.fondoambiente.it
How to get there:
A5 Torino-Aosta, exit Scarmagno;
exit Albiano d’Ivrea
Partly

May-mid Oct, Sun: 3.00 pm-7.00 pm;
Weekdays and mid October-mid April
it was in these years that the
ashes of King Arduino arrived in
Masino, from the castle of Aglié.
In 1988 FAI (Italian Foundation
for the Environment) purchased
the residence, making the original
furniture and decorations of the
castle – that exalt the genealogy of
the family and of the most important
aristocracies of the time – visible
again. The 12 carriages which
belonged to the Valperga family were
placed in the 18th century stables.
Tue-Sun: 10.00 am-6.00 pm
Monday (except holidays) and mid December-January
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FAI members, Abbonamento Musei
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Castello di Mazzé
In actual fact there are two
buildings: the big castle (both floors
of which can be visited) and the
little one (home to the Museo della
Tortura – Torture Museum – created
in collaboration with Amnesty
International). The Valperga di Mazzé
family remained in possession of the
castle until 1840 when the lineage
became extinct with the death of the
count Carlo Francesco. The current
aspect of the castle – given to it
by the architect Giuseppe Velati
Bellini, who transformed the old
buildings – is from 1850. Here, in
1859, Vittorio Emanuele II, with
Napoleon III’s Italian and French
Castello di Pralormo
General Staff, decided to flood the
plane of the Vercelli area with the
water from the Sesia to counter the
Austrian advance. And there is also a
ghost… It’s the 14th century count
Raffaele Hugoniot, who was killed in
the armoury of the castle for having
dishonoured – by cheating her with a
false wedding – the daughter of his
fencing master, Grazia.
Castello di Mazzé
Via Castello - Mazzé
ph. +39 011 9835250
[email protected]
www.castellodimazze.it
How to get there:
A4 Milano-Torino, exit Rondissone
The undulations in the ground
around Pralormo announce the hills
of the bordering regions of Roero
and Monferrato. The original nucleus
of the castle is from the end of the
13th century and it was part of the
fortifications of this area – debated
between the Biandrates and the city
of Asti. In 1830, with the unification
of the feud by Carlo Beraudo, the
court architect Ernesto Melano
changed the original fortified complex
into an elegant seigneurial residence.
The building is still the residence of
the Beraudo family who organizes
Ë
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Feb-Nov, only on holidays: 2.00 pm-6.00 pm;
Saturday, weekdays and December-January
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Castello di Pralormo
Strada Statale 29 - Pralormo
ph. +39 011 884870
[email protected]
www.contessapralormo.com
How to get there:
A21 Torino-Piacenza,
Villanova d’Asti exit, SR29 to Pralormo
Sunday (except August)
For groups

Park
various activities and events there.
To counter the disappearance of the
tradition of Piedmontese embroidery
– known as “bandera” – new
embroiderers are featured in this area
of Piemonte, where they used to be
made back in the 18th century.
In the month of April, during “Messer
Tulipano”, over 75,000 flowers bring
lively colours to the English-style
park in the castle.
Everyday during the exhibition;
May-July and Sept-Oct, Sun and holidays: 10.00 am-1.00 pm and 2.00 pm-6.00 pm;
reservation required for groups (min party of 15)
Monday, August and November-March
E
Kids under age 5
E
Kids under age 4
13
Castello di Rivara
The complex is made up of two
medieval buildings: the “Castello
Superiore”, built by the counts of
Valperga and facing the mountain,
and the “Castello Inferiore”, built by
the Discalzi counts and facing the
plane. With the extinction of the
Discalzi family, they both became
property of the Valpergas. In the
15th century the “Castello Superiore”
became a centre of the Inquisition
and this is where trials against
witches were held: only one of them,
Margarota, managed to save herself
from the stake by telling of the
punishments that the condemned had
to undergo.
Ë
Partly
Castello di Rivoli
The most significant restoration works
were by Alfredo d’Andrade in 1871,
when the complex was purchased by
Carlo Ogliani, the brother-in-law of
the painter Carlo Pittara, one of the
founders of the so-called Scuola di
Rivara, who anticipated, in certain
respects, the movement of the French
impressionists. To this day the
castle hosts an important Centre of
Contemporary Art.
Castello di Rivara
Piazza Sillano 2 - Rivara
ph. +39 0124 31122
[email protected]
www.castellodirivara.it
How to get there:
The castle is located in a strategic
position on the morainic hill at the
mouth of the Valle di Susa and is
at the bottom of the 11 km-long
straight avenue (currently Corso
Francia), which was planned in 1711
with the name “Strada Reale di
Torino” (Royal Street of Torino).
It was for many centuries the
outpost of the Savoys in Piemonte
and was chosen by Emanuele Filiberto
as his favourite residence. He brought
about the first substantial changes
and his only son, Carlo Emanuele I,
was born here.
Ë

E
Sat-Sun: 10.30 am-12.30 pm and 3.00 pm-6.00 pm;
upon reservation
Castello di Rivoli
Piazza Mafalda di Savoia - Rivoli
ph. +39 011 9565220
[email protected]
www.castellodirivoli.it
How to get there:
A32 Torino-Bardonecchia, exit Rivoli
Tue-Thu: 10.00 am-5.00 pm; Fri-Sun: 10.00 am-9.00 pm;
reservation advised for groups
Monday
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It was Vittorio Amedeo II who had
the castle built: the royal architect
Filippo Juvarra worked here, following
an original and grand drawing which
was only partially carried out. Since
1984, the Museum of Contemporary
Art has been here in the old rooms.
It creates an unusual blend of past
and present, thanks also to the
avant-garde structures and materials
used in the recent restoration works.
Kids under age 10, Abbonamento Musei
15
Castello di Valperga
The castle dominates the Valperga
built-up area: it was built around
the 1Oth century by the lords of
Courgné and then enlarged by the
counts of Valperga, but according
to tradition it was built before the
year one thousand by Dadone – the
count of Pombia and father of the
king Arduino – and the “marchese”
of Ivrea himself stayed there on various
occasions. There are three parts to
the building: a central part with a
tower, considered the most ancient
structure; the medieval castle around
it, surrounded by ramparts that run
along the old Belmonte road;
finally a neoclassical palace,
surrounded by a park with a terraced
disposition, which now hosts a rest
home. San Giorgio church was quoted
in a document from 1150 as a chapel
of the nearby castle. It has a series
of frescoes that represent one of the
most remarkable pre-Renaissance
cycles in the Canavese area.
Castello di Valperga
Via Cesare Battisti 19 - Valperga
ph. +39 0124 617132
ist.ﬁ[email protected]
How to get there:
Palazzo Madama
It is certainly one of the oldest Savoy
residences and it hides, behind the
sumptuous Juvarran façade, two
millennia of history and Turinese art.
It was the first defensive centre in
the city (the Roman Porta Pretoria),
a medieval castle (which gave the
whole square its name), the elegant
residence of the two Madame Reali
(from the first of which it gets its
name). Between 1848 and 1864 the
central room became the seat of the
subalpine – later Italian – Senate.
During the centenary of Italian unity
Elizabeth II of England and her
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Ë

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Last Sun of the month: 3.00 pm-6.00 pm;
upon reservation
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husband, Prince Philip, appeared on
its balcony, to greet the acclamations
of the citizens of Torino. After a
complex restoration project, the
palace hosted the Olympic Committee
in 2006 and is now the home of the
very rich collection of the Municipal
Museum of Ancient Art, with rooms
furnished following the criterion of
historical reconstruction.
Palazzo Madama
Piazza Castello - Torino
ph. +39 011 4433501
[email protected]
www.palazzomadamatorino.it
How to get there:
A55 Torino beltway,
exit Corso Regina Margherita
taircase and Medieval Courtyard, Tue-Fri and Sun: 9.00 am-7.00 pm;
Sat: 9.00 am-8.00 pm; Museum, Tue-Fri and Sun: 10.00 am-6.00 pm;
Sat: 9.00 am-8.00 pm; reservation required for groups and schools
Monday
Museum only
First Tuesday of the month; schools, disables, kids under age 10,
Abbonamento Musei
17
Palazzo Reale
Reggia di Venaria Reale
The first and most important
Savoy royal residence is in the
heart of the city, overlooking
piazza Castello and delimited by
the 19th century rail fence, the
entrance of which is guarded by
the statues of the two Dioscuri.
The palace took on its present
appearance by will of the first
Madama Reale Maria Cristina di
Francia, who was the wife of the
duke Vittorio Amedeo I. Behind
a 107 metres-long façade, lies a
three-floor palace that provides
evidence, with furniture and
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decorations, of the change in taste
between the 17th and 19th centuries,
under the direction of the greatest
court architects. The ground floor is
home to the Apartments known as
Madama Felicita; on the ground floor
there are the 35 rooms of the state
apartments, while on the second floor
one can visit the 30 rooms used by
the kings and queens of Italy for their
stays in Torino, when it was no longer
the capital.
Palazzo Reale
Piazzetta Reale 1 - Torino
ph. +39 011 4361455
[email protected]
www.piemonte.beniculturali.it
How to get there:
A55 Torino beltway,
exit Corso Regina Margherita
18
Ë

Tue-Sun: 8.30 am-7.30 pm; reservation required for groups.
Please note: not all the ﬂoors are always open to public
Monday
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It is located at the mouth of
the Valli di Lanzo, which can be
considered – with their peaks
reaching considerable heights – the
last natural rampart of the city of
Torino. It is a Vénerie, that is a
residence created for hunting: a
unique experiment in the history of
that “corona di delitiae” (“crown of
delights”) that the Savoys wanted
to celebrate their power. The novelty
lies in the vision underlying the
work: the ducal architect Amedeo di
Castellamonte wanted to unite in a
unique plan the village, the palace
and the gardens to respond to the
philosophy of absolutism dear to his
client, Carlo Emanuele II. Vittorio
Amedeo II inherited from his father
his passion for the palace and
commissioned works from Filippo
Juvarra that will remain memorable:
the Main Gallery, the Sant’Uberto
Chapel, the Main Stable and the
Citrus Greenhouse.
Reggia di Venaria Reale
Piazza della Repubblica 4 - Venaria Reale
ph. +39 011 4992333
[email protected]
www.lavenaria.it
How to get there:
A55 Torino beltway, exit Venaria
ue-Thu: 9.00 am-4.30 pm; Fri: 9.00 am-8.00 pm;
Sat: 9.00 am-10.00 pm; Sun: 9.00 am-7.00 pm
Monday (except holidays) and December 25
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Under age 18, over 65, Abbonamento Musei
E
Kids under age 12 with adult,
the person accompanying a disabled, Abbonamento Musei
19
Villa della Regina
The villa is located in a superb
setting, at the end of an avenue that
climbs from the Gran Madre church
up towards the hills. It was realized
in 1615 by the cardinal Maurizio di
Savoia, son of Carlo Emanuele I.
He was ordained at the young age
of fourteen and in 1642 his vocation
gave way to the raison d’Etat: at
the end of the so-called War of the
In-Laws, he abandoned the purple
robe and married his thirteen-yearold niece Ludovica, the daughter of
his brother Vittorio Amedeo I and
of Cristina of France. The residence
then became Anna d’Orléans (Vittorio
Amedeo II’s wife) favourite, and
Forte di Bramafam
it was named “Villa della Regina”
(“The Queen’s Villa” – the name by
which it is still known) after her. It
was given to the Institute of Soldiers’
Daughters by Vittorio Emanuele II
and suffered heavy bombings during
the Second World War. After ten
years of restoration works the villa
and its large park have been recently
reopened to the public.
Villa della Regina
Strada Santa Margherita 79 - Torino
ph. 800 329329
(from abroad ph. 00800 11133300)
[email protected]
www.artito.arti.beniculturali.it
How to get there:
A55 Torino beltway,
exit corso Regina Margherita
Bardonecchia is the westernmost
town in Italy and the French border
surrounds it. The presence of a castle
on the peak of Bramafam has been
known since the first half of the
fourteenth century: with Exilles it
was the only Dauphinal castle in the
valley that had a permanent garrison.
The Fort was built to watch the Frejus
gallery, after the railway tunnel was
opened in 1871. The military post
was dismantled because of the 1947
Paris treaty and until 1995 – the year
in which the restoration of the fort
began – it was subjected to a long
period of destruction. But the long
Fri-Sun: 1.30 pm-6.30 pm; reservation required at the Free Number 800 329329
(from abroad ph. 00800 11133300)
20

Monday-Thusday
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E
Forte di Bramafam
Località Forte di Bramafam - Bardonecchia
ph. +39 339 2227228
[email protected]
www.fortebramafam.it
How to get there:
A32 Torino-Bardonecchia,
exit Bardonecchia
Ë
Ë

history of this fortification can now
be retraced thanks to the visiting
ring – an exhibition area spread out
over 36 rooms – the 146 manikins
with original uniforms, 14 pieces of
ordnance and over 1,800 finds of
military life that compose
the museum.
June-Sept according to a pre-set schedule: 10.00 am-6.00 pm;
May-Oct upon reservation for groups (min party of 25)
E
Abbonamento Musei
E
Abbonamento Musei
21
Forte di Exilles
Even though the first evidence of the
existence of a military structure in
the initial part of the Alta Valle di
Susa goes back to the 7th century,
the building of the fort was started
in 1255 as a castle for the Dauphin
princes. The area was given to
Vittorio Amedeo II’s Piemonte by
France with the 1713 Utrecht Treaty.
The fort is its own museum: papers,
plastic, drawings and the itinerary
for visiting it help to understand its
fortified architecture and age-old
history.
Ë

22
The confinement in this fortress,
between 1681 and 1687, of the
character who went down in history
as the Iron Mask, is legendary.
His identity has remained unknown,
but there have been many
conjectures made on this subject:
a twin brother of the Sun-King, a
black son of Queen Anne, one of the
main characters in the clashes of
the nobility of the time...
Forte di Exilles
Località Forte di Exilles - Exilles
ph. +39 0122 58270
[email protected]
www.museomontagna.org
How to get there:
A32 Torino-Bardonecchia,
exit Susa ovest, SR24 to Exilles
It was Vittorio Amedeo II who
wanted the impregnable fortress to
be built when – in 1713 – having
regained possession of Val Chisone
after centuries of French domination,
he wanted to protect the territories
that he had just reconquered with
the Utrecht Treaty. The restoration
work, which had been started in
1727 under the direction of the
military engineer Ignazio Bertola,
was continued for over a hundred
years, leading to the realization of
what is to this day the biggest alpine
fortification in Europe and the
largest brickwork construction after
the Great Wall of China.
What appears at first sight to be one
same construction is in actual fact a
set of various forts, joined vertically
by a covered stairway that, with its
3,996 steps, is the longest in Europe.
The fort was never used for military
action, but as a prison-fortress:
cardinal Pacca, minister of Pius VII,
among others, was imprisoned here.
Forte di Fenestrelle
Strada al Forte 1 - Fenestrelle
ph. +39 0121 83600
[email protected]
www.fortedifenestrelle.com
How to get there:
A55 Torino-Pinerolo, exit Pinerolo,
SR23 to Fenestrelle
Ë
Apr 15-Sept 30, Tue-Sun: 10.00 am-7.00 pm;
Oct 1-Apr 14, Tue-Sun: 10.00 am-2.00 pm

Monday, January 1 and December 25
E
E
Forte di Fenestrelle
Sept-June, Mon and Fri-Sun: 8.30 am-6.30 pm;
July-Aug, every day: 8.30 am-6.30 pm; reservation required
E
Abbonamento Musei
E
Abbonamento Musei
23
Beauties
“en passant”.
Many other fabulous castles, palaces and
fortresses add to the preciousness of
Torino and its beautiful province, but for
various reasons they are closed to the
public. Even though it is not possible
to visit their interiors, their façades and
the settings in which they emerge are
definitely worth a detour.
In the following pages a brief overview
of these destinations will enable you to
integrate your itinerary so as not to miss
out on any of the magnificent fortresses
of local art and culture.
Castello di Montalto Dora
Castello di Moncalieri
Piazza Baden Baden, Moncalieri
www.ambienteto.arti.beniculturali.it
Closed for restoration works
Area dei 5 laghi, Montalto Dora
www.comune.montalto-dora.to.it
Open on special occasions
Castello di Rivalta
Palazzina di Caccia di Stupinigi
Piazza Principe Amedeo 7, Nichelino
www.mauriziano.it
Palazzo Carignano
Batteria dello Chaberton
Monte Chaberton, Montgenèvre
www.fortechaberton.com
Reacheable on foot (3,130 m above sea level)
Via Accademia delle Scienze 5, Torino
www.comune.torino.it/musei
Via Orsini 7, Rivalta
www.castellodirivalta.it
Open on special occasions
Castello del Valentino
Viale Mattioli 39 - Parco del Valentino, Torino
www.comune.torino.it/musei
Faculty of Architecture of the Politecnico di Torino
Forte Serre Marie
Strada Provinciale dell’Assietta (SR 173), Fenestrelle
Reacheable also by car from Pra Cartinat (1,982 m above sea level)
24
25
Holidays à
la carte.
Weekend in & around Torino
Torino+Piemonte Card
Torino+Piemonte Card offers you the keys to the the
city… and the whole region. For a a period varying
form 2 to 7 days you can move freely amongst the
beauties of Torino and Piemonte, while saving money.
Free admission to more than 160 cultural sites as well
as free transportation on public and tourist means of
transport in Torino. Furthermore there are reductions on
many cultural and sporting activities and a Junior Card
at a special rate for under 18.
Weekend in & around Torino is an
extraordinary opportunity to turn your
weekend into a true vacation. Choose where
to sleep from the many participating hotels in
Torino and surrounding area and benefit from
this formula featuring two nights -breakfast
included- and a 2-day Torino-Piemonte Card
for each adult, as well as many wonderful
surprises. And if you decide to stay one night
more, take advantage of even better rates!
Tour in & around Torino
Tour in & around Torino is the solution to the dilemmas of every traveler: better be
alone or in good company? Choose among the various itineraries proposed: in Torino
enjoy the tour of the historical centre and of the Museo Egizio (Egyptian Museum)
or pick one of the many Theme Tours in town and in the surroundings.
If you want to relive atmospheres from other times, by joining the pleasure of
history with the charm of story-telling, some castles offer you the opportunity
to join interesting theatrical tours.
A suggestive way to discover the magic of these places from the very voice
of actors that bring to life events of the past, with the support of costumed
interpreters of the Historical Groups.
To find out the places, and the schedule of these original
initiatives, log on to the website www.turismotorino.org or
contact one of the TIC listed at the end of this brochure.
Ë
Gourmet in & around Torino is an alluring
occasion to enjoy our best food and drink
tradition at convenient prices. Choose from the
menus specially intended for “Tavole del Sapore”:
the participating restaurants in and around
Torino propose delicious local specialties and
international cuisine accompanied by cordial and
friendly hospitality. Make the most of this great
opportunity!
City Sightseeing Torino
TRAVELLING WITH
FRIENDS...?
If you are travelling as part of a group,
please contact us to find our the rates of
the tourist guides and the possibilities for
booking tours.
Write to [email protected]
or call +39 011 535181.
26
Gourmet in & around Torino
City Sightseeing Torino is a true
companion of your journey in Torino.
Thanks to this “panoramic” double-decker
bus you can discover the city’s many souls,
planning your visit according to your
interests. The whole tour, featuring a 6language audio system, takes one hour but
you can hop-on and hop-off whenever you
wish. Take it…easy!

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E
ChocoPass
ChocoPass is your passport to the endless
seductions of chocolate: the delicious set of
coupons offers you 23 tastings to be savoured
in 3 days. Gianduiotti, pralines, cakes, biscuits,
ice creams and hot chocolate: the best chocolate
production awaits you in the historical cafés and
patisseries of Torino. And for an aristocratic treat
give in to the temptation of the Merende Reali:
the gourmand appointments that conquered the
Savoy court.
In & around Torino
Palaces,
Castles
and Forts
In Torino
14
Palazzo Madama..... p.17
15
Palazzo Reale ........ p.18
17
Villa della Regina ... p.20
Castello
del Valentino......... p.24
Palazzo Carignano .. p.25
Around Torino
28
1
Appartamenti Reali
di Borgo Castello ..........p.4
2
Castello Biandrate
di Foglizzo...................p.5
3
Castello Biandrate
di San Giorgio ..............p.6
4
Castello Cavour
di Santena ...................p.7
5
Castello Ducale
di Aglié .......................p.8
12
Castello di Rivoli...........p.15
13
Castello di Valperga ......p.16
16
Reggia di Venaria Reale..p.19
18
Forte di Bramafam.........p.21
19
Forte di Exilles .............p.22
20
Forte di Fenestrelle .......p.23
6
Castello di Ivrea ...........p.9
Castello di Moncalieri ....p.24
7
Castello Malgrà
di Rivarolo ...................p.10
Castello di Montalto Dora ..p.24
8
Castello di Masino .........p.11
9
Castello di Mazzé ..........p.12
Palazzina di Caccia
di Stupinigi..................p.25
10
Castello di Pralormo ......p.13
Batteria dello Chaberton...p.25
11
Castello di Rivara ..........p.14
Forte Serre Marie...........p.25
Castello di Rivalta ..........p.24
Choose Torino, with its mountains
and its wonderful surroundings:
you’ll find just the right holiday for you!
The Tourist Information Centers – TIC – of Turismo
Torino e Provincia await you to provide you with a
wide range of useful information on museums and
exhibitions, festivals and events, winter and summer
sports, restaurants and historical cafés,
Royal Residences, forts and abbeys. Moreover, our
staff is at your complete disposal to help you find
the accommodation that suits you best and assist
you with a free booking service.
And there’s more: once you have the right
information and your lodging is booked, you can
get the most out of your stay purchasing right away
Torino+Piemonte Card, ChocoPass, guided tours
and excursions, as well as tickets for shows and
public transport.
And don’t forget to begin at best your exciting
experience by browsing among our gadgets
and souvenirs.
The TIC are open every day* to welcome you and
give you the assistance you may need:
we’re waiting for you!
. 30, 2008.
Edition closed on Jun
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