VALENTINO, Castle

A castle has been present in the south side of the city along the banks of the Po River since medieval times, but the building before you now is instead one of the best examples of Baroque architecture in Turin. The Castle is dedicated to St. Valentine, whose relics had been preserved in a chapel which has since been destroyed. It is no longer a defensive, military structure, but a beautiful royal residence: a large villa surrounded by green gardens modeled after the famous French castles known as "Châteaux".

And it is precisely with France in mind that you can start to appreciate and understand the history and appearance of this monument which is finally recovering all of its original charm thanks to complex restorations. It was built in the first half of the 17th century for the daughter of the French King Henry IV, who had married Victor Amadeus I of Savoy. It was designed by the architect Carlo di Castellammonte and his son Amedeo. As you can see, it's a large horseshoe-shaped monument with four massive square towers and a large courtyard in the middle. Its high pitched roofs and attic with windows pay homage to the French origins of Princess Cristina, known as "Madama Reale", or the Royal Madam. Admire the majesty of the main façade, with its porticoed entrance and loggia....