Castello di Moncalieri

The current layout of the Moncalieri castle dates back to the 17th century and is the result of the expansion of a medieval fortress. In the second half of the 15th century, the building was chosen as the ducal residence by Jolanda di Valois; in 1475 the treaty was signed there between the duchess, Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, and Galeazzo Maria Sforza, Duke of Milan.

Starting from 1610, Charles Emmanuel I began the expansion works of the ancient manor, continued under Victor Amadeus I and the Royal Madame Maria Christina of France: over a period of sixty years, with the intervention of architects Amedeo di Castellamonte, Andrea Costaguta and Carlo Morello, the building took its present configuration.

The castle was the preferred residence of Victor Amadeus II, who died there in 1732 after abdicating in favor of his son Charles Emmanuel III. During the reign of the latter, the building underwent numerous interventions, under the direction of Benedetto Alfieri; the embellishments continued in the time of Victor Amadeus III (who died in Moncalieri in 1796), with the intervention of the Messinese architect Francesco Martinez.

The arrival of the French troops caused serious damage to the building, which was used as a barracks and military hospital. In 1817, under Victor Emmanuel I, restoration operations were undertaken: the three-flight marble staircase made of Carrara marble and the riding school at the bottom of the main courtyard were created then. During the Risorgimento period, the apartments of Victor Emmanuel II and Queen Maria Adelaide were re-arranged and furnished according to the eclectic taste typical of the second half of the 19th century, almost completely erasing the traces of the previous centuries.

On November 20, 1849, the Moncalieri Proclamation was signed there, counter-signed by Massimo d’Azeglio, with which the king dissolved the Chamber of Deputies and had the new Chamber approve the peace treaty with Austria.

After being occupied during the Second World War by the Nazi-fascists, by partisans and finally by evacuees, in 1948 the complex became the seat of the 1st Carabinieri Battalion “Piedmont”. The royal apartments were restored and opened to the public in 1991. On April 5, 2008, the southeast tower of the Castle was hit by a violent fire which made it necessary to close the visit route and start a new cycle of restorations. Currently, the Moncalieri Castle is not visitable but will be open again during 2016.