It’s the elegant one Royal Venariaa true jewel in the heart of Piedmont, the protagonist of the great start of the 107th edition of Tour of Italy 2024 on May 4th at 1.50 pm from the gardens of the Palace.
The city, which will also be the European Capital of Sport in 2025, offers a unique combination of cultural heritage and nature, to be discovered on the occasion of the major sporting event (but not only) with itineraries to be covered on foot or by bike. Large parks, tree-lined avenues, elegant squares, food and wine specialties… It’s time to get to know Venaria Reale better, about ten kilometers from Turin.
The Royal Palace of Venaria, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
The privileged starting point to start exploring the city is, without a doubt, the Royal Palace of Venaria Realea grandiose complex which, with its 80 thousand square meters of monumental building and 60 hectares of gardens, represents one of the iconic places of the Bel Paese.
Declared UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997, has been open to the public since 2007 after having been the most important restoration site in Europe for cultural heritage and boasts some of the highest expressions of universal baroque: the enchanting scenery of the Diana Hall designed by Amedeo di Castellamonte, the solemnity of the Galleria Grande and the Chapel of Sant’Uberto with the immense complex of Stableseighteenth-century works by Filippo Juvarra, the sumptuous decorations, the famous Bucintoro and the spectacular Deer Fountain in the Court of Honor they represent the ideal setting of Theater of History and Magnificencethe exhibition itinerary dedicated to the Savoy family which accompanies the visitor along almost 2,000 metres, between the basement and main floor of the Palace.
A walk along the fascinating historic center
The visit continues in the historic center: leaving the clock tower of the Royal Palace, you cross Piazza a Esedra (today Republic square) and we walk along via Mensaanimated by bars and cafés where you can stop for a snack or taste the local food and wine products.
From here you come to Piazza della SS. Annunziatarefined square and heart of the seventeenth-century village of Venaria Reale: the first court architect Amedeo di Castellamonte had conceived this space as a relatively large area, which interrupted the long straight line of Via Mensa (Via Maestra at the time) dividing it into two sections , with the aim of creating a scenic stop along the road that led to the Royal Palace. Its particular shape recalls the Collar of the Annunziata, symbol of the oldest and most prestigious Savoy chivalric order.
The square is dedicated to the Annunciation of Mary, represented by two statuesthe work of Giuseppe Maria and Giovanni Domenico Carlone (1678), sculptors from Lugano, also authors of the statues of four Evangelists always placed in the square: among its visitors was the poet Guido Gozzano, who loved Venaria and its square so much that he included it in his story Garibaldina.
Two rooms once overlooked the square, New Cernaia (still in business) e Old Cernaia (now disappeared), named so in memory of the Crimean War (since the artillery involved in the conflict had started right from Venaria) and we always appreciate the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Maryalso a work by Castellamonte, rebuilt in the central part by Benedetto Alfieri: above the portal there is the inscription indicating the origins and purpose of the construction (In the year 1662 Carlo Emanuele II inaugurated the birthplace of the new city under the protection of the nativity of the Virgin).
Castellamonte had also planned the construction of a twin church on the opposite side of the square, but only the façade was completed. Until a few years ago, the building housed the city’s hospital.
Enchanting authentic views in the surroundings of Venaria Reale
After admiring the heart of the village, other surprises are in store for you in the streets that wind from the centre, with many still authentic views of the town.
In particular Via Boglionewhich was the site of some artisanal activities such as blacksmithing, printing and herbalist’s, and Via Pavesio, where you immerse yourself once again in the past by walking along the Corte Pagliere building, the stables and the Cavallerizza Lamarmora. This imposing block, from the mid-eighteenth century, initially housed the fodder and hay warehouse, then the horse hospital and subsequently in the nineteenth century it became the seat of the Artillery Riding School.
Alternatively, those who love walking in urban greenery can follow the paths along the Cerondathe large tributary stream of the Stura that bathes Venaria.
A totally green experience is the Mandria Parka vast natural park that offers splendid opportunities for hiking and wildlife observation and represents the main green lung of the Turin area: it is the oldest and most preserved example of lowland forest (i.e. in the plains) of Piedmont, with 6556.80 hectares enclosed in 30 kilometers of walls, 40 kilometers of paths open to the public (to be explored on foot or by bike), 20 protected buildings including numerous farmhouses, the remains of a medieval shelter, two hunting lodges and the complex of Borgo Castellorecognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Here, where King Vittorio Emanuele II and Bela Rosin (who later became his morganatic wife) lived their love story, you can still hear the roaring of the deer, the grunting of the wild boars and the gyrating of the wild rabbits that live free in the park.
Along one of the roads that leads to Turin stands the Country chapel dedicated to San Marchese, rebuilt in 1751, replacing the old one. The latter had kept the remains of the Saint until 1604, patron saint of Altessano (now the Venaria Reale district), soldier of the Theban Legion, martyred around 300 AD, due to his work of evangelization of the local population. Today, after some miraculous events and various movements (including one inside the coffin that had kept the Shroud), the bones are preserved in the parish church.
There is also no shortage of options for spending the evening, including the Concordia Theatrethe cultural heart of the entire north-west area of Turin which celebrates twenty years of activity in 2024. Its program ranges from stand up comedy to great prose, from family shows to concerts.
A sweet taste
Finally, it is impossible to leave Venaria Reale without tasting the Canestrello from Altessanoa poor but tasty dessert that already a century ago was talked about by politicians and writers such as Michele Lessona, a true Venarian and senator of the Kingdom.
Made with double zero flour, sugar, butter, very fresh eggs, citrus peel, milk, vanilla and natural flavourings, it owes its particular taste to cooking for a few seconds in the “iron with tongs” molds and cooking on the putagé, the Typical Piedmontese wood-burning stove.
A product of local tradition, Canestrello is protected by the Basket of Typical Provincial Products, by the DE.CO (Municipal Designation of Origin of Venaria), by the Pro Loco Altessano Venaria and by the Association of Canestrelli producers, which guarantee its origin and quality.
