Baroque in Piedmont

Art Baroque in Piedmont Itineraries in Art Map of Piedmont Contents E R L A N D I T Z S W SS N° 30 Introduction P. 4 L Baroque in Piedmont P. 6 M. Leone O Turin P. 10 M Itinerary 1: Piazza Castello, Via Po B Monte Rosa and the surrounding area P. 12 A Varallo ❏ Itinerary 2: Piazza Carignano, Piazza San Carlo Motorway Turin/Alessandria/Piacenza VALLE Tunnel del Monte R D’AOSTA Motorway Turin/Ivrea/Aosta Bianco and the surrounding area P. 22 D Motorway Turin/Milano Itinerary 3: Via and Piazza Palazzo di Città, Motorway Turin/Savona Gran Paradiso I i Quartieri, la Consolata P. 28 Motorway Turin/Bardonecchia A Itinerary 4: The river, the hills Motorway Gravellona Toce/ Santhià/Voltri/Genova and the surrounding area P. 38 MONCENISIO SS N° 25 Rocciamelone Alessandria and the surrounding area P. 48 Asti and the surrounding area P. 50 Sauze d’Oulx ❏ Val Germanasca ❏ ❏ Pragelato Claviere ❏ ❏ Parco Nat. Biella and the surrounding area P. 52 della Val Troncea Cuneo and the surrounding area P. 54 COLLE DEL MONGINEVRO Novara and the surrounding area P. 58 Italian Railways Freephone 1478-88088 Torino Caselle Airport Verbania and the surrounding area P. 62 Flight Information Service Tel. +39 011.5676.361/362 For real-time updates see: Vercelli and the surrounding area P. 64 website A http://www.turin-airport.com I N Genov Cuneo Levaldigi Airport R Savona Local Tourist Boards in Piedmont P. 66 Information U Tel. 0172.374374 FRANCE G Malpensa 2000 Airport COLLE DI I Information O E TENDA L Alassio Freephone 800 337337 COLLE DI NAVA Imperia Sanremo S 2 Introduction ny thematic itinerary castles immersed in fairy- A focussed exclusively on tale parks; of shrines, basilicas the monuments of an epoch, on the and churches embodying the gran- art-istic legacy of a period, style, or diose faith of the powerful and the simple movement, is likely to engender paradoxical devotion of the poor. situ-ations. Like inducing us to deliberately igno- Piedmontese Baroque is the ésprit de geometrie of re whatever is not included in our guide, to close our arcades, squares, and straight urban streets that eyes and wander like sleepwalkers from one monument to enchanted a sentimental rationalist like Jean-Jacques the next, identifying and appreciating only single and isolated Rousseau, that plunged Friedrich Nietzche into folly, that in- fragments of time, history, and art. spired the metaphysical restlessness of Giorgio De Chirico’s If there is a region where none of this happens, that region is Piazze d’Italia. Piedmont. If there is an artistic and historical period to Just outside Turin, we find a mosaic of palaces, villas, which this dispersion does not apply, that period is the synagogues, castles. And the precious crown of Holy Baroque age. And not simply because entire quarters, Mounts, proclaimed UNESCO World Heritage Sites and even towns, are intact in their harmony and in 2003. charm and are therefore ideal settings for journeys Piedmont is not just Baroque. But knowing through time, art, and custom. Baroque means understanding Piedmont, Baroque is Piedmontese because Piedmont is because Baroque is the spirit of the quintessence of Baroque. Piedmont. The Baroque era is the Grand Siècle of a small gem-like state that echoed Paris and Enzo Ghigo aspired to rule over Italy. The golden Governor of Piedmont age of urban royal palaces, hillside villas and suburban “Delights”; of Baroque in Piedmont n Piedmont, Turin in particular, I the Baroque period – from the end of the sixteenth century to the end of the eighteenth century – coincided with the development of the Savoy state, tracing the rise of a dynasty, represent- ing and celebrating the power of a duchy, and later a kingdom, which was to play a fundamental role in the history of Italy. The key artists of the period all came to work in Turin, and Turin is home to some of the finest examples of Baroque works– just think of the San Lorenzo church or the Palazzina di Caccia di Stupinigi. For many the term “Baroque” evokes images of lavish decorations, scrolls, stuccoes, gilding and marble. But Baroque is about more than just pomp and ornament. It is not merely a style or aesthetic current: Baroque is the artistic expression of an era, the period between the late sixteenth and mid- Palazzo Madama 7 Baroque in Piedmont eighteenth centuries, which was char- Emanuele Filiberto brought Baroque acterised by radical changes. The end of to Piedmont: in exchange for funda- the Renaissance, the colonisation of the mental support to the emperor Philip Americas, wars and dynastic battles, II, he was given back his father’s lost and the scientific discoveries of the day lands, and in 1578 he transferred the all began to shed doubt on existing capital of the Duchy from Chambéry to dogmas and previous certainties, while Turin. For at least another one hun- this period was also dominated by the dred and fifty years the Savoy king- spirit of the Counter Reformation, the dom was the only state in Italy to have great absolutist monarchies and a an established, acknowledged political society based on rigid hierarchies. and economic structure. Baroque, with its rarely straight lines, The close links between this art form its stuccoes, decorative elements and and the representation of the glories of special effects, reflects the artists’ state mean that the finest examples of ongoing attempt to reconcile opposites Piedmontese Baroque are to be found - science and faith, reason and emotion, in Turin and areas connected to the technique and effect: the very contrasts capital, like the royal residences. which were dividing and at the same However there are traces of Baroque time shaping the world in that period. art in all the provinces of Piedmont, Baroque originated in Rome and soon mainly, but not exclusively in the spread throughout Italy and Europe; ecclesiastical context. leading figures include Bernini, Borro- In this publication we are pleased to mini, Juvarra, Guarini, Pietro da Cor- present the most important sites of the tona and Longhena. Baroque era. Palazzo Carignano 8 Turin balanced with the addition of squares, na, celebrated the solemnity of the buildings and monuments, according Savoy State, and the monarchy as the to a precise, strict layout. institution and symbol of authority. Following the French model, attention His majestic but never over-wrought was dedicated to making the most of buildings with their elegant undulat- the city’s main river, the Po, which ing façades and interwoven arches; the became a scenic and architectural ele- use of a “poor” material such as brick, ment reflecting grandiose construc- enhanced by ever-changing effects tions like the Valentino Castle. of space and volume created by the Nobles and court dignitaries had eleg- light; and the hues of the marble used, ant city residences built, where the all serve to convey the vitality and Turin surprises the tourist for two continued for almost two centuries, luxury not shown off on the outside strength of a new, emerging state. main reasons. with various additions. And while this was transferred to the interior. This is Meanwhile Juvarra, who was born in Firstly with its sheer charm, which is transformation all but cancelled the the origin of the splendid, deservedly Messina and trained in Rome, was on an even greater surprise for those traces of Medieval Turin, it made the famous courtyards of Turin, and their the scene a few decades after Guarini, expecting an area dedicated to indus- city into one of the international cap- grandiose marble friezed staircases: in a period which saw the state as an try and work, efficient but a little for- itals of Baroque. these were the areas, service areas in acknowledged, established power, cel- bidding. The second surprise is finding In terms of the radical transformation appearance only, that gave visitors ebrating itself and its glories. that the architecture, and Baroque of the layout of the capital, sumptuous their first, vital impression of their It has been said that while Guarini architecture in particular, of the his- royal residences were erected, from hosts’ standing and wealth. represents the state, Juvarra repres- toric city centre boasts the involve- Palazzo Reale to the Palazzina di In the seventeenth and eighteenth cen- ents the court. ment of the most illustrious names in Caccia di Stupinigi, and existing build- turies the greatest architects and town- Juvarra’s work is highly scenic, build- seventeenth and eighteenth century ings like Palazzo Madama and the planners of the age came to work in ings constructed at “strategic” points art, who created imposing works of Valentino Castle were reworked. Turin, from Guarino Guarini to Filip- like the hill of Superga or the plains of great beauty here. A new town plan was created, with po Juvarra, who, while embodying two Stupinigi. Windows were not just for This rich heritage is thanks to the com- wide, straight paved streets suited to profoundly different concepts of those inside to look out, but also so plete transformation of the capital heavy carriage traffic, and sometimes Baroque were united by the beauty of that the lit halls, elegant celebrations, brought about by the Savoys from the accompanied by arcades for pedes- their creations. and rich clothing and furnishings, end of the sixteenth century, which trians, as in Via Po. These streets were Guarini, a Theatine monk from Mode- could be admired from the outside. The Valentino Castle 10 11 Itinerary 1 Piazza Castello, Via Po and the surrounding area Piazza Castello: The point of departure and arrival for in the Roman period, the remains of townhouse: Ascanio Vitozzi and Carlo Piazzetta Reale, Palazzo Madama, the Dioscuri any tour, Piazza Castello lies at the which are the towers facing Via Gari- di Castellamonte worked on it, adapt- heart of Turin.

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