It stands on a lush hill from which you can enjoy an incredible panorama of the Cuneo region: it is the Govone Castlewhich stands where an old military fortress once stood. It became one of the royal residences of the Savoys between the 18th and 19th centuries and still retains its old-world charm intact today. The palace has also been included among the UNESCO World Heritage Sitesin the heart of the circuit of Savoyard residences in Piedmont. Let’s discover its beauties and its magnificent park that surrounds it.
Where is the Govone castle located?
The old one Govone Castle It stands on top of a hill that shades a small historic village of great charm: it is Govone, which has just over 2 thousand inhabitants and is located in the province of Cuneo. The magnificent territory that surrounds the town and its castle is that of Roero and Monferrato, home to splendid hills cultivated with vineyards and fine wines known throughout the world. The view is truly suggestiveand it is precisely here that today we can admire this charming Savoyard noble residence and its lush park.
Govone Castle: the history
The hill that today hosts the village of Govone and its castle, in medieval times, overlooked an ancient fortress. It was on this same territory that, towards the end of the 17th century, the Counts Solaro decided to build a manor house intended to be a noble residence, and no longer for defensive purposes. The project was entrusted to the architect Guarino Guarini, who began to organize the work of enlarging and embellishing the castle, but it was soon blocked. Only a century later, thearchitect Benedetto Alfieri He took matters into his own hands and managed to complete the renovation work, giving Govone a fascinating palace.
The royal family of Savoy found a pleasant paradise to spend their holidays: the castle of Govone thus became a Savoyard residence from 1792, and a few years later King Carlo Felice and his wife Maria Cristina of Bourbon-Naples they chose it as a summer holiday destination (along with the Ducal Castle of Agliè). In the 19th century, the Savoys undertook extensive restoration work that involved most of the interior rooms and the Italian garden located inside the park. At the beginning of the last century, the castle was purchased by Municipality of Govone.
Today is open to the public and hosts important cultural, artistic and musical events: the Castle of Govone is an integral part of the social fabric of the village that hosts it, as well as a source of tourism thanks to the many visitors who come from all over Italy to admire its beauties. Part of the importance that the manor holds in the cultural panorama of our country is also due to some illustrious guests who had the opportunity to frequent it, including the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau. The palace is also part of the 8 Castles circuit Docas well as the castles of Grinzane Cavour, Barolo, Serralunga d’Alba, Magliano Alfieri, Roddi, Mango and Benevello.
The interior rooms of the Govone castle
The castle of Govone is a riot of rooms richly decorated with precious materialsof splendid marbles and precious ancient frescoes. The atrium, with stucco finishes in a light Baroque style, opens onto the grand staircase of honor: these are two twin staircases guarded by imposing Telamons coming from the Royal Palace of Venariafrom which you reach the ground floor. But before discovering its rich rooms, the Montesquieu apartment, on the ground floor, is worth a visit with its delicate stuccos and pastel colors, which today houses the exhibition room.
Going up to the ground floor, we find ourselves in front of the magnificent ballroom: decorated with frescoes with some of the most beautiful examples of trompe-l’oeil thanks to the intervention of the painters Luigi Vacca and Fabrizio Sevesi, in the 19th century, you can admire scenes that reproduce the mythological episode of Niobe. There are openings on both sides of the hall the Ponente Gallery and the Levante Galleryboth decorated with classical frescoes by Andrea Piazza and Carlo Pagani, who used wonderful optical illusion effects.
From the Ponente Gallery you can reach the Chapel of Santa Cristinaa small room with beautiful paintings that once contained an evocative altar that has now disappeared. In this wing of the castle are also the Chinese saltdecorated with precious and very rare 18th century Chinese papers depicting the production of tea, silk, rice and porcelain, as well as splendid floral and faunal themes. Finally, from the East Gallery, you arrive at the royal apartments, which still today are among the most beautiful and evocative rooms in the castle.
THE king’s apartments They are decorated with frescoes of paintings by Andrea Piazza and Carlo Pagani, depicting scenes from classical mythology. The wooden furniture is also splendid, carved with the greatest care by Giuseppe Maria Bonzanigo. The The Queen’s Apartments They are also decorated with frescoes of mythological inspiration and furnished with precious wood: from the room there is a door that leads to the king’s bedroom.
The beautiful park
The castle of Govone is surrounded by a beautiful parkwhich also opens onto a magnificent natural terrace that offers a unique panorama of the hills – and which, on a clear day, even allows you to look towards Monviso. The garden is particularly evocative, dotted with paths and graceful box hedges: here many flowers that color the landscape around the palace, and which offer a delightful spectacle in the spring. Every year, in March, an event called Tulips in the yarda true tradition that attracts thousands of visitors.
Indeed, many people flock to the gardens to admire these red buds blooming in the park. Not far from there, but outside the castle walls, you can finally visit the rose garden which stands in the centre of the village of Govone. There are many varieties of old roses, some of which date back to the time when Queen Maria Christina spent much of her time in this oasis. In May, the rose garden hosts the event Royally pink to discover this fascinating corner of paradise.