La Venaria Reale Entrance Ticket (2)

Description

Designed by Amedeo di Castellamonte and built in 1675 as a base for Charles Emmanuel II's hunting expeditions, the Royal Palace of Venaria lies on the northwestern outskirts of Turin, bordering the heath rich countryside. The grand buildings of the Baroque palace and the formal French gardens fell into disuse at the end of the 18th century, were converted into military barracks and training grounds during Napoleonic domination, and belonged to the Italian military until 1978. Placed onto the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 1997, the palace was renovated and opened to the public in 2007.

Your visit includes a journey through the history and art of the House of Savoy. The permanent display, entitled “Theater of History and Magnificence,” takes visitors on a 1.2 mile-long walk through the ground floor and the piano nobile (main floor) of the Royal Palace.

Accompanied by music composed by Brian Eno, the display unfolds in the 17th century spaces of the Hall of Diana, the elegant Great Gallery, and the solemn Church of St. Hubert. The 18th century architectural masterpieces by Filippo Juvarra and their sumptuous stucco decorations form the background for “Peopling the Palaces at Venaria Reale,” a series of multimedia installations on court life by British film director Peter Greenaway.

See the entirely refurbished and charming apartments of the Duchess Maria Giovanna Battista of Savoy-Nemours. The Royal hunting palace is dedicated to the second Royal Lady with its symbols of the goddess of the hunt, Diana.

Among the items on view are important paintings, the alcove, newly restored apartments, the toiletry set, and other pieces of furniture that once belonged to the Duchess and her spouse, Duke Carlo Emanuele II. Furthermore, you'll see the rich tapestries of the Brussels manufacture cycle on the hunts of Diana and Apollo, the pictorial series on the Royal Residences of the Savoy and the superb cycle of the Muses by Antiveduto Gramatica. And these are only some of the latest additions that are now on display in the precious 17th century rooms.

Don't miss Prince Eugene of Savoy’s refined collection of paintings, which now grace the walls of the apartment of Princess Ludovica, the sister of Duke Charles Emmanuel II. These paintings recreate the collections that were once at home at La Venaria. The current collection consists of 60 works dating back to the 17th century from the Galleria Sabauda, including masterpieces by Reni, Albani, Cignani, Van Dyck, Brueghel, and other Flemish and Dutch masters.

You’ll also find remarkable new acquisitions in the Royal Apartment of Vittorio Amedeo II where the vast antechambers along the ceremonial route preceding the Great Gallery now provide a better sense of their original function thanks to sculptures, period sofas, stools and benches. These spaces also offer a breathtaking view of the Gardens – particularly the Terrace of the Queen near the Upper Park.

The permanent exhibition ends with a section titled “Lights and Shadows: Restoration in Progress.” The display provides an overview of the Palace’s history over the last two centuries, including the military phase and the subsequent decay, the ensuing cultural debate on the recovery and the use of the complex, the restoration projects and the rebirth during the late 1990s with the ambitious “La Venaria Reale” Project – the largest project ever undertaken in Europe for the recovery of the cultural heritage, leading to the grand opening of 2007.

You'll find additional information in the stores located in the Carriage Court, where descriptions of the restoration techniques, the history and theory of restoration, and the experimental materials developed and used for this project are available.