Castle of Moncalieri
Encyclopedia
The Castle of Moncalieri is a palace in Moncalieri
(province of Turin
), Piedmont
, in northern Italy
. It is one of the Residences of the Royal House of Savoy
listed by UNESCO
as World Heritage Sites in 1997.
around 1100 on a hill, to command the main southern access to Turin
. In the mid-17th century Yolanda of Valois, wife of Duke Amadeus IX
, turned it into a pleasure residence. Architect Carlo di Castellamonte
enlarged the construction substantially, and the interiors were redesigned by him and other local artists.
The castle was the site of the marriage between Maria Vittoria Francesca of Savoy
to the Prince of Carignano. It was also the place where Maria Carolina of Savoy married Anthony of Saxony by proxy in 1781.
It was the scene of the death of Maria Antonietta of Spain
in 1785; she was the wife of Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia
. Victor Amadeus would later die there in 1796.
The castle was used extensively by the Savoyards, and was the first castle occupied in 1798 by the French armies
, who retained it until 1814. Returned to Victor Emmanuel I of Sardinia
and later to his distant nephew Charles Albert of Sardinia
, Prince of Carignano, it became the residence of young family princes who studied here. King Victor Emmanuel II preferred it to the Royal Palace of Turin
, and had numerous apartments furnished according to his tastes. In 1849 it was the seat of the famous proclaim in favour of Massimo D'Azeglio, and later was used by the Mother Queens and royal princesses.
Since 1921 it has been the home of the 1st Battalion of the Carabinieri
, but the historical rooms can be freely visited.
On April 5, 2008, a fire broke out in the castle, damaging one of the towers and the hall of the proclaim.
es. Two other minor buildings parallel the side sections and create two courts. The southern façade has a giardino all'italiana
and two small cylindrical towers, last remains of the 15th century castle. The northern entrance has also a notable belvedere
.
Moncalieri
Moncalieri is a town and comune of approximately 58,000 inhabitants about eight kilometers directly south of downtown Turin , in Piedmont, Italy. It is notable for its castle, built in the 12th century and enlarged in the 15th century, which later became the favorite residence of Maria Clotilde...
(province of Turin
Province of Turin
The Province of Turin is a province in the Piedmont region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Turin.It has an area of 6,830 km², and a total population of 2,277,686 . There are 315 comuni in the province – the most of any province in Italy...
), Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
, in northern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. It is one of the Residences of the Royal House of Savoy
Residences of the Royal House of Savoy
The Residences of the Royal House of Savoy is a group of structures in Turin and its province, in Piedmont . Added to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list in 1997, it includes the following patrimonies:-Residences:*In Turin:...
listed by UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
as World Heritage Sites in 1997.
History
The first structure was a fortress built by Thomas I of SavoyThomas I of Savoy
Thomas I or Tommaso I was Count of Savoy from 1189-1233. He was the son of Humbert III of Savoy and Beatrice of Viennois. His birth was seen as miraculous; his monkish father had despaired of having a male heir after three wives. Count Humbert sought counsel from St...
around 1100 on a hill, to command the main southern access to Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
. In the mid-17th century Yolanda of Valois, wife of Duke Amadeus IX
Amadeus IX, Duke of Savoy
The Blessed Amadeus IX , surnamed the Happy, was the Duke of Savoy from 1465 to 1472. He was the son of Louis, Duke of Savoy, and Anne de Lusignan, daughter of Janus of Cyprus, King of Cyprus....
, turned it into a pleasure residence. Architect Carlo di Castellamonte
Carlo di Castellamonte
Carlo di Castellamonte was an Italian architect, civil and military engineer, one of the main exponents of Piedmontese Baroque.Castellamonte was born in Turin. After his studies in Rome, he returned in Piedmont where was assistant to Ascanio Vitozzi...
enlarged the construction substantially, and the interiors were redesigned by him and other local artists.
The castle was the site of the marriage between Maria Vittoria Francesca of Savoy
Maria Vittoria Francesca of Savoy
Maria Vittoria of Savoy was an illegitimate daughter of Victor Amadeus II of Sardinia and his favourite mistress Jeanne Baptiste d'Albert de Luynes, estranged wife of Joseph Ignace Scaglia, Count of Verua. She was an ancestor of Victor Emmanuel II of Italy and thus the whole present pretending...
to the Prince of Carignano. It was also the place where Maria Carolina of Savoy married Anthony of Saxony by proxy in 1781.
It was the scene of the death of Maria Antonietta of Spain
Maria Antonietta of Spain
Maria Antonia Ferdinanda of Spain was an Infanta of Spain and the youngest daughter of Philip V of Spain and Elisabeth Farnese. She was the wife of Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia whom she married in 1750...
in 1785; she was the wife of Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia
Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia
Victor Amadeus III was King of Sardinia from 1773 until his death. Although he was politically conservative, he carried out numerous administrative reforms until declaring war on revolutionary France in 1792...
. Victor Amadeus would later die there in 1796.
The castle was used extensively by the Savoyards, and was the first castle occupied in 1798 by the French armies
La Grande Armée
The Grande Armée first entered the annals of history when, in 1805, Napoleon I renamed the army that he had assembled on the French coast of the English Channel for the proposed invasion of Britain...
, who retained it until 1814. Returned to Victor Emmanuel I of Sardinia
Victor Emmanuel I of Sardinia
Victor Emmanuel I was the Duke of Savoy and King of Sardinia from 1802 to 1821, and Jacobite Pretender from 1819 until his death.-Biography:...
and later to his distant nephew Charles Albert of Sardinia
Charles Albert of Sardinia
Charles Albert was the King of Piedmont-Sardinia from 1831 to 1849. He succeeded his distant cousin Charles Felix, and his name is bound with the first Italian statute and the First War of Independence...
, Prince of Carignano, it became the residence of young family princes who studied here. King Victor Emmanuel II preferred it to the Royal Palace of Turin
Royal Palace of Turin
Royal Palace of Turin or Palazzo Reale, is a palace in Turin, northern Italy. It was the royal palace of the House of Savoy. It was modernised greatly by the French born Madama Reale Christine Marie of France in the seventeenth century. The palace was worked on by Filippo Juvarra...
, and had numerous apartments furnished according to his tastes. In 1849 it was the seat of the famous proclaim in favour of Massimo D'Azeglio, and later was used by the Mother Queens and royal princesses.
Since 1921 it has been the home of the 1st Battalion of the Carabinieri
Carabinieri
The Carabinieri is the national gendarmerie of Italy, policing both military and civilian populations, and is a branch of the armed forces.-Early history:...
, but the historical rooms can be freely visited.
On April 5, 2008, a fire broke out in the castle, damaging one of the towers and the hall of the proclaim.
Overview
The current structure of the castle is in the shape of a horseshoe facing south, with four massive square towers at each angle. The side sections have fived floors, brick walls and robust buttressButtress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...
es. Two other minor buildings parallel the side sections and create two courts. The southern façade has a giardino all'italiana
Giardino all'italiana
The Giardino all'italiana, Garden all'italiana or Italian garden, is a style of garden from Italy based on symmetry, perfect geometry and the principle of imposing order over nature. It was influenced by Roman gardening and Italian Renaissance gardening, and has been copied by other courts around...
and two small cylindrical towers, last remains of the 15th century castle. The northern entrance has also a notable belvedere
Belvedere (structure)
Belvedere is an architectural term adopted from Italian , which refers to any architectural structure sited to take advantage of such a view. A belvedere may be built in the upper part of a building so as to command a fine view...
.