Tra le Residenze Reali Sabaude presenti sul territorio cuneese occorre annoverare anche il Castello Reale di Valcasotto che da poco ha riaperto le sue stanze ai visitatori dopo anni di restauri.
Questa residenza si trova nel comune di Garessio e gode di una posizione eccezionalmente appartata, a 1090 metri d'altidune e circondato da bellissimi boschi.
Il Castello Reale di Valcasotto non nacque come dimora nobile ma fu prima di tutto una certosa, fondata nel secolo XI e dedicata a San Brunone.
Preda di numerosi saccheggi e oggetto di diversi incendi, venne ricostruita nelle forme attuali dall’architetto Bernardo Vittone alla fine del 1700. Abbandonata con lo scioglimento degli ordini religiosi da parte di Napoleone, fu venduta a privati e acquistata nel 1837 da Carlo Alberto di Savoia per farne una residenza di caccia.
L'edificio che ospitava la chiesa e la foresteria furono ristrutturati, ma la parte che comprendeva il Monastero vero e proprio non venne interessata dalla ricostruzione e cadde, purtroppo, definitivamente in rovina.
Il Castello Reale di Valcasotto fu una delle residenze preferite da Vittorio Emanuele II che qui trascorreva le estati con i suoi cinque figli: Maria Clotilde, Umberto, Amedeo, Oddone e Maria Pia.
A differenza di quanto si può pensare questa non fu mai una residenza di rappresentanza. Qui la famiglia reale trascoreva una vita semplice, tra battute di caccia, passeggiate nella natura e buon cibo di montagna.
Il Castello Reale di Valcasotto fu soprattutto il castello di Maria Clotilde, la primogenita di Vittorio Emanuele II, che orfana a soli 12 anni dovette assumersi il ruolo di prima donna di corte ed occuparsi dell'educazione dei fratelli più piccoli. Proprio tra queste mura la principessa maturò la storica decisione di andare in sposa a Napoleone Giuseppe Carlo Paolo Bonaparte, scelta che contribui a realizzare l'Unità d'Italia.
Il castello rimase di proprietà della famiglia Savoia fino al 1881, quando venne venduto a privati. Dal 2000 è di proprietà della Regione Piemonte che si è fatta carico dei lavori di recupero, che hanno interessato prima di tutto la manica destra e che continuano tutt'ora nella manica sinistra.
La residenza reale si compone di un corpo centrale e due grandi ali laterali che si affacciano su di un cortile porticato delimitato, nella parte libera da un alto muraglione al di sotto del quale scorre il fiume.
Nella parte posteriore, invece, si trovano i resti di quello che era il Monastero, di cui sono ancora visibili tracce delle celle dei monaci.
La facciata, in pietra grigia, è quella progettata nel XVIII secolo da Vittone. Più a valle, non molto distanti, si trovano, invece, gli edifici storici della Correria e la Cascina del Seccatoio.
La visita al Castello Reale di Valcasotto ha inizio all'ingresso situato nell'ala nord dove finisce il lungo viale alberato che arriva dalla sottostante Correria, utilizzata come stalla e spazio per l'allevamento.
Da qui si accede direttamente al porticato che si apre sul cortile quadrato. Al fondo del portico si trova lo scalone sud che fornisce l'accesso al primo piano dove corre un ampio corridoio luminoso che mette in comunicazioni i diversi ambienti. Lungo le sue pareti sono esposti quadri provenienti dalla Galleria Daniel del Castello Reale di Torino e dal Castello di Agliè e che raffigurano personaggi mitologici e membri di Casa Savoia.
Quest'ala del Castello Reale di Valcasotto era riservata agli appartamenti dei principini.
Si attraversano così le camere da letto e da studio del principe ereditario Umberto I, quella di Maria Clotilde e della sorella Maria Pia, accanto a cui ci sono le stanze delle rispettive dame di compagnia. Tra di esse si trova un'ampia sala della musica che custodisce il quadro della "Dama in fiero" attribuito al Van Dyck.
L'ultima camera è quella della Contessa Carolina di Villamarina, governante delle principesse e del castello. Da ammirare nelle varie sale, oltre ai dipinti ed alla mobilia, sono le tappezzerie, tra le prime dell'epoca, provenienti direttamente dalla Francia.
Sul lato opposto di questa ala è possibile accedere alla zona del XVI-XVII secolo dove si trova il Chiostro dei Novizi e, più avanti, le celle dei monaci.
Un corridoio, con un'ampia vetrata che guarda il cortile e la valle sottostante, unisce le due ali del Castello. Al suo centro si allarga in un atrio con volta affrescata di fronte al quale si trova la porta di accesso alla Cappella, realizzata dal Vittone nel 1750.
Originariamente di dimensioni più estese, fu fatta ridimensionare dai Savoia eliminando la parte destinata ai certosini in clausura. Le cappelle laterali venero trasformate in tribune reali e furono aggiunte delle magnifiche colonne monolitiche di "breccia di Casotto", molto simile a quelle presenti nella Chiesa della Gran Madre di Dio a Torino. Il risultato è un ambiente di gran pregio in cui spiccano il pavimento in legno pregiato, la cupola affrescata con Madonna della Neve tra due angeli, ed il dipinto della Beata Ludovica di Savoia.
Visto che l'ala sud è ancora in restauro e non accessibile, la visita al Castello Reale di Valcasotto prosegue nella torre campanaria a cui si accede da un corridoio posto nel retro della cappella. Qui, risalendo una stretta e ripida scala a chiocciola si arriva in cima e si hanno scorci di parte del castello e, sopratutto, dell'area archeologica del monastero.
Sebbene visibile solo in parte il Castello Reale di Valcasotto rappresenta un luogo molto interessante sia per il contesto naturale in cui si trova sia perchè la visita è incentrata sulla vita quotidiana dei reali, sulle loro abitudini semplici che si sono potute ricostruire grazie ai diari che la principessa Maria Clotilde ha tenuto durante la sua permanenza qui.
Valcasotto Real Castle
Among the Savoy Royal Residences present in the Cuneo area, must be counted the Valcasotto Royal Castle which has recently reopened its rooms to visitors after years of restoration.
This mansion is located in the municipality of Garessio and enjoys an exceptionally secluded position, at 1090 meters above sea level and surrounded by beautiful woods.
The Valcasotto Royal Castle was not born as a noble residence but was first of all a charterhouse, founded in the 11th century and dedicated to San Brunone.
Prey to numerous looting and subject to several fires, it was rebuilt in its present form by the architect Bernardo Vittone at the end of the 1700s. Abandoned with the dissolution of religious orders by Napoleon, it was sold to private individuals and purchased in 1837 by Carlo Alberto Savoia to make it a hunting lodge.
The building that housed the church and the guesthouse were renovated, but the part that included the monastery itself was not affected by the reconstruction and unfortunately fell definitively in ruins.
The Valcasotto Royal Castle was one of the favorite residences of Vittorio Emanuele II who spent here many summers with his five children: Maria Clotilde, Umberto, Amedeo, Oddone and Maria Pia.
Contrary to what one might think, this was never a representative palace. Here the royal family spent a simple life, including hunting trips, nature walks and good mountain food.
The Valcasotto Royal Castle was above all the castle of Maria Clotilde, the eldest daughter of Vittorio Emanuele II, who was orphaned at the age of 12 and had to take on the role of first lady of the court and take care of the education of her younger brothers and sisters. It was within these walls that the princess made the historic decision to marry Napoleone Giuseppe Carlo Paolo Bonaparte, a choice that contributed to the unification of Italy.
The castle remained the property of the Savoy family until 1881, when it was sold to private individuals. Since 2000 it has been owned by the Piedmont Region which has taken care of the recovery work, which first of all affected the right sleeve and which still continue in the left sleeve.
The royal residence consists of a central body and two large side wings that overlook a delimited arcaded courtyard, in the free part bordered by a high wall below which the river flows.
In the back, however, there are the remains of what was once the Monastery, of which traces of the monks' cells are still visible.
The façade, in gray stone, is the one designed in the 18th century by Vittone. Further downstream, not far away, there are the historic buildings of Correria and the Cascina del Seccatoio.
The visit to the Valcasotto Royal Castle begins at the entrance located in the north wing where ends the long tree-lined avenue that comes from the underlying Correria, used as a stable and space for breeding.
From here there is the direct access to the portico which opens onto the square courtyard. At the end of the portico is placed the south staircase which provides access to the first floor where there is a large luminous corridor which connects the different rooms. Along its walls there are paintings from the Daniel Gallery of the Royal Castle of Turin and from the Castle of Agliè thar depict mythological characters and members of the House of Savoy.
This wing of the Valcasotto Royal Castle was reserved to the princely apartments.
In this way you cross the bedrooms and study rooms of the crown prince Umberto I, of Maria Clotilde and her sister Maria Pia, next to which there are the rooms of their respective ladies in attendance. Among them there is a large music room which houses the painting of the "Dama in fiero" attributed to Van Dyck.
The last room belonged to the Countess Carolina of Villamarina, housekeeper of the princesses and the castle.
To admire in the various chambers, in addition to the paintings and furniture, are the tapestries, among the first of the time, coming directly from France.
On the opposite side of this wing it is possible to access the 16th-17th century area where was located the Cloister of the Novices and, further on, the monks'cells.
A corridor, with a large window overlooking the courtyard and the valley below, joins the two wings of the Castle. At the center it extends into an atrium with a frescoed vault in front of which there is the access door to the chapel, built by Vittone in 1750.
Originally larger in size, it was resized by the Savoy family by eliminating the part intended for the Carthusians in the cloister. The side chapels were transformed into royal tribunes and magnificent monolithic columns of "breccia di Casotto" were added, very similar to those present in the Church of the Gran Madre di Dio in Turin. The result is an environment of great value in which stand out the precious wooden floor, the frescoed dome with the image of the Madonna della Neve between two angels, and the painting of the Blessed Ludovica of Savoy.
Since the south wing is still under restoration and not accessible, the visit to the Valcasotto Royal Castle continues in the bell tower which is accessed from a corridor at the back of the chapel. Here, climbing a narrow and steep spiral staircase, you reach the top and you have glimpses of part of the castle and, above all, of the archaeological area of the monastery.
Although only partially visible, the Valcasotto Royal Castle represents a very interesting place both for the natural context in which it is located and both because the tour focuses on the daily life of the royals, on their simple habits that have been able to reconstruct thanks to the diaries that Princess Maria Clotilde kept during her stay here.
Among the Savoy Royal Residences present in the Cuneo area, must be counted the Valcasotto Royal Castle which has recently reopened its rooms to visitors after years of restoration.
This mansion is located in the municipality of Garessio and enjoys an exceptionally secluded position, at 1090 meters above sea level and surrounded by beautiful woods.
The Valcasotto Royal Castle was not born as a noble residence but was first of all a charterhouse, founded in the 11th century and dedicated to San Brunone.
Prey to numerous looting and subject to several fires, it was rebuilt in its present form by the architect Bernardo Vittone at the end of the 1700s. Abandoned with the dissolution of religious orders by Napoleon, it was sold to private individuals and purchased in 1837 by Carlo Alberto Savoia to make it a hunting lodge.
The building that housed the church and the guesthouse were renovated, but the part that included the monastery itself was not affected by the reconstruction and unfortunately fell definitively in ruins.
The Valcasotto Royal Castle was one of the favorite residences of Vittorio Emanuele II who spent here many summers with his five children: Maria Clotilde, Umberto, Amedeo, Oddone and Maria Pia.
Contrary to what one might think, this was never a representative palace. Here the royal family spent a simple life, including hunting trips, nature walks and good mountain food.
The Valcasotto Royal Castle was above all the castle of Maria Clotilde, the eldest daughter of Vittorio Emanuele II, who was orphaned at the age of 12 and had to take on the role of first lady of the court and take care of the education of her younger brothers and sisters. It was within these walls that the princess made the historic decision to marry Napoleone Giuseppe Carlo Paolo Bonaparte, a choice that contributed to the unification of Italy.
The castle remained the property of the Savoy family until 1881, when it was sold to private individuals. Since 2000 it has been owned by the Piedmont Region which has taken care of the recovery work, which first of all affected the right sleeve and which still continue in the left sleeve.
The royal residence consists of a central body and two large side wings that overlook a delimited arcaded courtyard, in the free part bordered by a high wall below which the river flows.
In the back, however, there are the remains of what was once the Monastery, of which traces of the monks' cells are still visible.
The façade, in gray stone, is the one designed in the 18th century by Vittone. Further downstream, not far away, there are the historic buildings of Correria and the Cascina del Seccatoio.
The visit to the Valcasotto Royal Castle begins at the entrance located in the north wing where ends the long tree-lined avenue that comes from the underlying Correria, used as a stable and space for breeding.
From here there is the direct access to the portico which opens onto the square courtyard. At the end of the portico is placed the south staircase which provides access to the first floor where there is a large luminous corridor which connects the different rooms. Along its walls there are paintings from the Daniel Gallery of the Royal Castle of Turin and from the Castle of Agliè thar depict mythological characters and members of the House of Savoy.
This wing of the Valcasotto Royal Castle was reserved to the princely apartments.
In this way you cross the bedrooms and study rooms of the crown prince Umberto I, of Maria Clotilde and her sister Maria Pia, next to which there are the rooms of their respective ladies in attendance. Among them there is a large music room which houses the painting of the "Dama in fiero" attributed to Van Dyck.
The last room belonged to the Countess Carolina of Villamarina, housekeeper of the princesses and the castle.
To admire in the various chambers, in addition to the paintings and furniture, are the tapestries, among the first of the time, coming directly from France.
On the opposite side of this wing it is possible to access the 16th-17th century area where was located the Cloister of the Novices and, further on, the monks'cells.
A corridor, with a large window overlooking the courtyard and the valley below, joins the two wings of the Castle. At the center it extends into an atrium with a frescoed vault in front of which there is the access door to the chapel, built by Vittone in 1750.
Originally larger in size, it was resized by the Savoy family by eliminating the part intended for the Carthusians in the cloister. The side chapels were transformed into royal tribunes and magnificent monolithic columns of "breccia di Casotto" were added, very similar to those present in the Church of the Gran Madre di Dio in Turin. The result is an environment of great value in which stand out the precious wooden floor, the frescoed dome with the image of the Madonna della Neve between two angels, and the painting of the Blessed Ludovica of Savoy.
Since the south wing is still under restoration and not accessible, the visit to the Valcasotto Royal Castle continues in the bell tower which is accessed from a corridor at the back of the chapel. Here, climbing a narrow and steep spiral staircase, you reach the top and you have glimpses of part of the castle and, above all, of the archaeological area of the monastery.
Although only partially visible, the Valcasotto Royal Castle represents a very interesting place both for the natural context in which it is located and both because the tour focuses on the daily life of the royals, on their simple habits that have been able to reconstruct thanks to the diaries that Princess Maria Clotilde kept during her stay here.
0 comments