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La Mandria Regional Park was established in 1978, to safeguard 8.896 acres of land within the Venaria Reale complex.

Protected by a 22-mile long enclosure and built by the Savoy Family, this is the largest historic park surrounded by walls in Italy and the second in Europe. La Mandira is also one of the most important environmental protection facilities in north-west Italy.
Inside the park, there is the most striking example of a lowland forest still present in the region, where several animal species live in a semi-wild state – that’s why the park was acknowledged as a Site of Community Importance (SIC) in the Natura 2000 network.

The park also retains a remarkable historical-architectural heritage, consisting of more than twenty protected buildings such as ancient farmhouses, the remains of a medieval shelter, two hunting lodges (“Bizzarria” and “Villa dei Laghi”), and Cascina Rubbianetta, now home to the “Centro Internazionale del Cavallo”. The latter is actually one of the royal residences and Royal Apartments of Borgo Castello, acknowledged as a World Heritage Site by Unesco. Much of this heritage is due to Vittorio Emanuele II, the hunter king who elected the current park among his favourite residences.

The visit

The park is basically a huge natural oasis, served by many pedestrian or cycle paths which run across woods, moors and fossil deposits. Guided tours are available.

The buildings recovered and open to the public include Borgo Castello Royal Apartments, Ciabòt delle Guardie, the Visitor Centre (headquarters of the Park’s Environmental Education Service), Cascina Brero (home to the permanent and interactive exhibition on trees and woods), Cascina Vittoria (home to the park stables and the Carriage Museum), and Cascina Rampa (headquarters of Piedmont mycological association and mycological centre). Furthermore, there’s Cascina Rubbianetta, the seat of the Horse Institutional Centre, which is currently being restored and enhanced.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)