This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)

This castle stands at the entrance of Susa Valley, on the top of the hill belonging to the morainic amphitheatre of Rivoli-Avigliana; the fortress is physically, visually and symbolically connected through the “stradone” – now Corso Francia – with the heart of the city, the Royal Palace, the hill of Turin and the Basilica of Superga – a true symbol of the victory against the French in 1706 and the new royal status of the owners’ dynasty.

The fortified structure supposedly dates back to the XI century: it was originally built by the bishops of Turin, then passed to the Savoy family. Later on, it became one of the “jewels” of the “Crown of Delights”: the collection of noble residences built from the end of the XVI century in Turin and its surrounding area, included in the Unesco World Heritage in 1997.

Over the centuries, the castle has been used for different purposes, including accommodation for soldiers, and through several renovations, it has gradually changed its appearance. After restoring the whole complex, the architect Francesco Paciotto also created a terraced garden and an underground nymphaeum.

The architect Castellamonte then transformed the building into a residence and built the “Manica Lunga” (“Long Sleeve”): a 460-ft long and 20-ft wide structure which housed his important collection of paintings. The two buildings are separated by the open-air atrium, dominated by the unfinished walls of the castle and the abovementioned “Manica Lunga”.
In the centre, it features columns and pillars belonging to the grandiose project by architect Juvarra. The two buildings were later renovated, in order to emphasize their different nature.

On the northern side of the Castle, today we can admire the sturdy pillars made by Juvarra, while on the porphyry flooring, marble and stone slabs mark the positions of the vertical support elements and the spans which were never built.

The imposing wall of the Castle still shows the supports for the decorations, the niches designed for the statues and the large buffered openings that evoke the halls imagined by the architect from Messina. Up above, there’s a panoramic terrace made of steel and glass which was inserted in much more recent times. Today, large windows by Andrea Bruno close the large gap left by the demolition of Juvarra construction yard.

Since 1984, the castle has been open to the public, housing the Museum of Contemporary Art with 38 rooms, and hosting important events and exhibitions every year.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)