40 km from Turin is the beloved summer residence of the royal dynasty, transformed from a powerful castle into a cozy family nest, where the last king of Italy was born and lived until the 1940s.
Castello Racconigi is a palace and landscape park in the town of Racconigi, province of Cuneo. Once, the estate was the official residence of the Carignano family – one of the lines of the Savoy dynasty, which is why it is included in the UNESCO World Heritage list along with other former Savoy residences.
The first mentions of the castle date back to the 11th century, when a certain Bernardino of Susa rebuilt the ancient estate, handing it over to the Cistercian monks. From the 13th century, the castle was owned by the margraves of Saluzzo, and in the 16th century, it was purchased by representatives of the Savoy dynasty. In 1630, Duke Carlo Emanuele I gifted the castle to his nephew Thomas Francis, Prince of Carignano, the founder of the Savoy-Carignano line. At that time, the castle was a tall brick fortress with a moat and four towers at the corners and a high donjon.
At the end of the 17th century, Thomas’s son, Emanuele Filiberto, commissioned architect Guarino Guarini to rebuild the fortress into a residence suitable for noble persons. According to the architect’s design, a central section was built where the courtyard was located, and a pagoda-shaped roof was constructed. The two northern towers were replaced with pavilions with domes and marble lanterns. A garden was arranged around the castle. A century later, at the order of Luigi Vittorio Carignano, the restoration of the interiors was carried out, the two southern towers were enlarged, and stucco and other decorations in the neoclassical style were added. Also, at the end of the 18th century, a new entrance to the castle was equipped with four Corinthian columns and a wide staircase.
In this castle, the last king of Italy, Umberto II, was born in 1904. Receiving this castle as a wedding gift in 1930, he established a family art gallery there, which housed about 3,000 paintings, as well as historical documents related to the famous Shroud of Turin.
In 1994, most of Castello Racconigi and the surrounding park were opened to the public.
During the castle tour, you will see an interesting collection of furniture in the styles of Baroque, Classicism, and Deco, as well as authentic items belonging to members of the royal family and servants. Special attention is also given to exhibits related to the life of the staff. The kitchens, pantries, governess rooms, their bathrooms, and dining rooms are open to visitors. The castle has what is called the princess corridor, along which small rooms are located. Their decor conveys the past tastes and atmosphere of the Piedmontese princesses.
Among the other highlights of the Racconigi castle, it is worth mentioning the Gothic church and a dacha in the Russian style, built on the occasion of Tsar Nicholas II’s visit in 1909.
The schedule changes, please check with the managers. Open every day except Monday, December 24-25, January 1, May 1.
