The Residences of the Royal House of Savoy Piedmont Region, Turin And
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The State Party nominates the property under cultural criteria i, ii, iv, and v, and also introduces the concept of the designed cultural landscape (Operational Guidelines (1997) paragraph39 (i)). Category of property In terms of the categories of cultural property set out in Article 1 of the 1972 World Heritage Convention, these Residencesof the Royal House of Savoy form a group ofbuildings. Identification History and Description Nomination The Residencesof the Royal House of Savoy Histo y When the Duke of Savoy, Emmanuel-Philibert Location Piedmont Region, Turin and (1553-SO), decided to move the seat of his court Cuneo Province from Chamb&y to Turin in 1562, he assigned an unexpected and decisive role to the latter. The State Par& Italian Republic new capital of the Duchy was still a small, fortified medieval town that had remained on the Date 28 June 1996 fringes of the main cultural developments of the Renaissance. As a result of the impetus of Emmanuel-Philibert, his successors developed a vast building programme throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, giviug the town and its region a Justification by State Party Baroque style, the pivot of which is the The Palazzo Reale with its buildings in the residences.These pleasure and hunting residences, “Command Area” and the complex of villas built in the countryside along the PO, on the hills, outside the town for the purposes of and further away in vast wooded areas, also serve “entertainment and hunting” are a cultural as reference points in a system of large estates property of uuiversal value, and constitute important in both economic and strategic terms. material evidence of the importance accorded by This programme was the symbol of the absolute the House of Savoy to town planning and power of the Savoy rulers, who built a state and a architecture as support to the political and military European capital. They acquired the throne of the commitment that brought it over three centuries Kingdom of Sicily with Victor-Amadeus Il(l713) from the Duchy of Savoy to the throne of the and that of the Kingdom of Italy with Victor- united Italian state. Emmanuel II (1861), which they kept until the foundation of the Republic in 1946. The absolute monarchy asserted its presence and its model for governing the territory by means of The construction of these buildings involves a its Turin palace and the buildings designed for town planning system that provides links between government as well as its residences outside the one palace and another and between the palaces town. and the villas, at the same time giving an architectural unity and solemnity to the areas that The capital was organized and developed along the house the seats of power. Thus the group of axes defined by the “Command Area”. It is buildings in the “Command Area,” which are surrounded by the villas, creating a “ring of connected with each other starting from the ducal pleasure” which gave form to the countryside and residence and where central power was exercised protected it from the claims of the sub-alpine in its different political, administrative, and patriarchy. cultural forms, together with the palaces of the The employment of artists who made House of Savoy (Palazzo Madama, Palazzo di distinguished contributions to the history of Carignano), form the central node, which has a European culture and the role played by the Savoy direct relationship with the outlying residencesby dynasty and by Piedmont in Europe serve to means of a radial plan, the form of which can be reinforce the supranational value of this part of the traced from its centre, Turin. They are rapidly region’s historical and artistic heritage. accessible from the capital through a network of straight tree-lined roads, which ensure the AlthOUgh other European capitals are cohesive and the functional aspects of the characterized by even larger monuments, none ensemble. has been distinguished by so large a phenomenon on a national scale, developed in a logical This system is underpinned by large-scale continuity over so a long period of time. planning projects. Although the organization of the defences of Turin was Emmanuel-Philibert’s major preoccupation, he succeededin establishing 35 his residence in the former bishop’s palace. Description Between the end of the 16th century and the 18th century, his successors carried out three large The nomination includes twenty-two buildings in expansion projects centred on the Piazza Castello. Turin and its surroundings: The tirst urban and architectural renovation The “Command Area” (Turin) schemes, launched by Charles-Emmanuel I to the plans of the architect Ascanio Vitozzi (late - Palazxo Reale 16th/early 17th century), were designed to create - Palazzo Chiablese a “Command Area” to the north-east of the city - Royal Armour-y - Royal Library that would be more in keeping with princely rank - Palazzo della Prefettura (former State and be more practical in defensive terms. The Secretariats) former ducal palace, which was slightly away - State Archives (former Court Archives) from the centre, was rebuilt on a new orientation - Former Military Academy so as to be in direct contact with the Piazza - Riding school and stables Castello. It was also linked with the southern part - Mint of the city by opening a new road (1612-15, the - Facade of the Royal Theatre present Via Roma) in the direction of the Mirafiori ducal residence iu the country (now demolished). Urban and country residences This project was a major innovation, since it established bipolarity in urban and territorial Palazzo Madama (Turin) terms. Palazzo Carignano (Turin) Castello de1Valentine (Turin) In 1673, Charles-Emmanuel II (1638-75) Villa della Regina (Turin) commissioned Amedeo di CastelIamonte to Castello di Rivoli (Commune of Rivoli) extend the town eastwards in the direction of the CastelIo di Moncalieri (Commune of PO. The new main axis, the Via PO, linked the Moncalieri) Piazza Castello with the bridge crossing the river Castello di Venaria (Commune of in the direction of the hilIs where the Villa della Venaria) Regina was built. The opportunity was also taken Castello della Mandria (Commune of to extend the Piazza Castello eastwards, and the Venaria) State Secretariats and the Royal The&e were later Palazzina di Stupinigi (Commune of built along its sides. stupinigi) Victor-Amadeus II (1675-1730) commissioned Castello d’Aglie (Commune of Aglie) Michelangelo Garove, Antonio Bertola, and (from Castello di Racconigi (Commune of 1716) Filippo Juvarra to carry out the third Racconigi) extension. This was in the direction of the western Pollenzo Estate (Commune of Bra) access to the city, running from the Porta Susina - Castello di Govone (Commune of to the Castello di Rivoli and the Palazzina di Govone) Stupinigi. The vast “Command Area” was planned in relation Charles-Emmanuel III (1730-73) inherited several to the new spaces created by extensions to the projects from his father. He planned the Palazzo city. The Palazzo Reale defines the structure of Reale, the State Secretariats, and the the&e on this complex. The decision to create it by the Piazza Castello, and organized a vast reorganizing and enlarging the former bishop’s rebuilding and extension programme for the palace was taken by Emmanuel-PhiIibert in the residences, involving Filippo Juvarra, followed by 1570s. The project was taken up more decisively Benedetto AlEeri when Juvarra left Turin in 1735. by Charles-Emmanuel I, and the commission for the work was given to Ascanio Vitozzi, the court The relationships and dynastic links that the architect. At the end of the 17th century the palace House of Savoy established with the royal courts acquired its permanent appearance, and the in Paris, Lisbon, Madrid, Munich, and Vienna as buildings (Powder magazine and cannon foundry) well as the towns of Italy created a cosmopolitan separating the Piazza Reale and Piazza Castello artistic and cultural milieu at the court of Turin. were replaced by a portico (in which the Holy Emmanuel-Philibert laid the foundations of a Shroud was displayed on special occasions) and court tradition that had not previously existed in then two centuries later by a gate. The main Turin. As the two superb volumes of the Theatrum changes in the 18th and 19th centuries were Sabaudiae, published in 1682, demonstrate, the refurbishment and decoration of the apartments, in Dukes of Savoy were tireless builders. With particular by Filippo Juvarra (Scala delle Forbici ceaselessperseverance, they enriched their family and the elegant Chinese cabinet) and Pelagio heritage and commissioned intemationalIy famous Pelagi. The quadrangular-plan brick palace was architects, artists, and gardeners such Ascanio built around a courtyard, with porticoes opening Vitoti, Carlo and Amedeo di Castellamonte, behind on landscaped gardens between the Guarino Guarini, Filippo Juvarra, Michelangelo bastions. The main facade. clad with plaster Garove, Benedetto Altieri, Daniel Seiter, painted in light colours, was decorated with Francesco Solimena, Sebastian0 Ricci, Charles pilaster strips, bands, and alternating triangular Andre Vanloo, Claudio Francesco Beaumont, and semi-circular pediments above the second Francesco Ladatte, Michel Benard, and many floor windows. The courtyard facades, which have others. retained their unplastered brick facing, partially 36 continue this decorative style with the same Juvarra’s admirable baroque facade. The restraint. The monumental staircase in the palace continuous bands of bossesin the lower part of the leads to the royal apartments, which are still facade and the wide pilasters form a solid base for sumptuously decorated with paintings, the pilasters and fluted columns, with large stuccowork, and priceless furniture. windows between them interrupting the walls on every storey. The verticality of the supports, The Palazzo Chiablese and the wing housing the temporarily interrupted by the entablature and the famous Royal Armoury and Royal Library are on frieze, extends into the balusters, the allegorical the Piazza Reale and are connected with the statues, and the vases on the balustrade.