Among the most recent constructions of the Savoy dominion are the Mandria Park and Castle.
As the name suggests, the origins of the park date back to a zootechnical past, so much so that in the early 18th century, this area was used for breeding horses, known as the "Mandria", whose name it still bears today.
With the rise of King Victor Emmanuel II, in the second half of the 19th century, the Mandria became a hunting reserve where the sovereign would practice his beloved hunting activities.
The latter, determined to expand the property, purchased the surrounding land until he had an estate of about 3000 hectares walled in by high walls, whose purpose was to defend the game in the park.
Part of this construction was entrusted to the architects Barnaba Panizza and Domenico Ferri, who drew up the plans for the "Mandria" to allow the sovereign to do his business.
At the same time, the configuration of the park took on a new form with the integration of artificial lakes and new networks of internal roads. The royal residence was built between the 1860s and 1870s, alongside other buildings such as the Castello dei Laghi and the hunting pavilion "La Bizzarria".
Nevertheless, a little later, around 1880
In front of the Castle, which became the most important building in the Park, the rooms that today make up the majestic Royal Apartments were built. More than 20 rooms in the style of the Italian Risorgimento exalt the figure of one of the great protagonists of the time and his wife, Rosa Vercellana, also known as Bela Rosin, Countess of Mirafiori and Fontanafredda.
However, with the death of the sovereign, the entire estate passed to the Medici del Vascello family.
The latter focused their operations on the commercial activity of the residence, from fodder crops to milk production, which took off in the first half of the following century.
Over the years, however, the structure of the "Mandria" has undergone numerous alterations; among the most recent were the transfers of various areas to public or private entities; among these, some parts of the property became part of the conglomerate established by the Piedmont Region known as La Mandria Regional Park, in order to safeguard and enhance the historical and environmental units.
Since 1997 the Mandria Castle, together with all the other Savoy residences in Piedmont, has been a Unesco World Heritage Site.
THE FLATS
Inside the residence, of particular note are the flats of Victor Emmanuel II of Savoy and his wife Rosa Vercellana (the Bela Rosin) which, immersed in the nature of the Mandria Park, are still a reflection of the taste of the first King of Italy. Among the ancient Savoy collections, it is possible to appreciate the precious artefacts of the period, works of art, fabrics and furnishings that originally decorated the rooms. Much of the credit for the still existing furnishings in these areas was due to the court architect Domenico Ferri, whose figurative sense is preserved in the various rooms.
Thanks to extraordinary funding, more than 100 art masterpieces, 1200 square metres of decorated surfaces, 60 pieces of furniture, 130 square metres of precious fabrics and 80 square metres of exquisite wallpaper have been completely restored and continue to enrich the estate with majesty.
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