FROM THE ORIGINS TO CARLO EMANUELE I

The Castello di Rivoli stands on the remains of an ancient medieval castle that Emanuele Filiberto had taken over to adapt into a residence for the House of Savoy. At the beginning of the 17th century, Carlo Emanuele I, who was born in Rivoli, decided to build a great palace on the site.
Ascanio Vittozzi worked on the project but it was Carlo di Castellamonte who did the actual construction. The Rivoli Castle is described in the Theatrum Sabaudiae which contains two images showing a long building beside the residence crowned by its four angular towers. This long building was the Duke's Picture Gallery and today is known as the Manica Lunga.


THE JUVARRA PROJECT

In 1693, during the war against the French, the castle was set on fire by Marshal Catinat's troops and was partially destroyed.
The great palace that Filippo Juvarra planned for Vittorio Amedeo II was meant to restore the residence in Rivoli to its former dignity and add a grandeur which would rival the magnificence of the great European courts.
The project, which dates from 1718, was never completed and construction was halted one third of the way through; the parts most representative of the royal palace like the atrium and the great staircases were left unfinished.
The interruption of the construction luckily prevented the Manica Lunga from being torn down so that today we can still see the work carried out in the 1600s. Juvarra's sketches and drawings fully illustrate the palace's architectural conception, reproduced in the great paintings of Giovanni Paolo Pannini and the impressive wood model constructed by Carlo Maria Uglieno. In 1793 Carlo Emanuele III of Savoia commissioned Carlo Randoni to complete the Juvarra design. Randoni did carry out some work on the castle but the occupation by Napoleon's troops at the end of the century put a halt to this attempt as well. A broken stump is all that remains of Juvarra's grand plans, separated from the Manica Lunga by the atrium where the unfinished plinths betray the moment construction was ceased.

1800

At the beginning of the 19th century with the changing of the political situation after the period of French domination, the residence in Rivoli, without even its central part constructed, became a great burden for the Savoia family to sustain. It suffered the fate of the great Savoia properties, split up or turned over to the state so that the high costs of upkeep would not have to be paid out of the royal coffers. In 1860 the complex was
rented to the community of Rivoli which quartered an infantry battalion there and built a covered passage from the castle to the Manica Lunga. The community purchased the entire property at a price of 100,000 lira.

1940

Several contingents of troops resided in the entire building until 1943, improvising the arrangements and continually damaging the furnishings.
During the last war the castle was hit by fire bombs and occupied by German troops while the Manica Lunga, already disfigured by the construction of lofts on the upper level, was divided into lodgings for the homeless and then utilized inappropriately, at one time or another being the site of a saw mill, a grocery store and a barn for animals. With the decisive intervention of the Region of Piedmont and the decision to house the Museum of Contemporary Art at the castle in 1978, work finally began on the restoration of the castle.

1960

The first signs of interest in the castle began. Umberto Chierici, the Superintendent of Historical Monuments, considered including the castle's restoration in the plans for "Italia '61", the centenary celebrations of the Unification of Italy, and commissioned the architect Andrea Bruno to study the project.

1967

With contributions from the local authority for the Superintendence of Historical Monuments and the Community of Rivoli the atrium was cleared of the various superimposed additions to bring the 18th century structure back into view. This was the first step of a long journey that would lead to the castle's complete renovation.

1978

Thanks to the decisive intervention by the Region of Piedmont and the decision to house the Museum of Contemporary Art in the Castle, the project first planned in 1961 was finally able to be put into effect. Andrea Bruno's project was to re-establish the building to its early 18th century form, when Juvarra's project was interrupted. The truncated structures of the entrance hall and the flights of the great stairway ending in empty space have been kept exactly the way they used to be to maintain their authenticity, as has the great end wall of the uncompleted main body of the castle
where we can see where the uncompleted arches and vaults were to have been placed. The use of modern materials and techniques were allowed to stress the differences between the old and new structures. The stairway, marking out the various levels and suspended in mid-air, the walkway that crosses through the great 18th century vault and the observation point made of steel and glass that juts out of the rough wall, all underscore the separation of the contemporary from the antique. The atrium plan was carried out according to Juvarra's design and the decorations of the interior have been kept as the were.


Savoia's Residence

Introduction:

The architectural variety of the rooms in the Rivoli Castle provides an original context for contemporary art works that are either on permanent or temporary display.

The museum galleries, are located in thirty-eight rooms of the main building and on the third floor of Manica Lunga which together provide an exhibition space of approximately seven thousand square meters.

The Castello is an ideal frame in which to display today's works of art, one which opens new and unexpected dialogues with the culture of the past.


Italiano:

La varietà architettonica delle sale del Castello di Rivoli costituisce un originale contesto per le opere d'arte contemporanea che vi trovano collocazione permanente o temporanea.

Il Museo, un luogo unico al mondo proprio per queste caratteristiche, dispone di trentotto sale e del terzo piano della Manica Lunga, che insieme compongono uno spazio espositivo di circa settemila metri quadrati.

Esso diviene la cornice ideale peresporre le opere d'arte di oggi che ogni volta svolgono un dialogo diverso ed imprevisto con la cultura del passato.




Exterior:

Ituated in a dominant position at the entrance of the Susa Valley, the Castle is a powerful baroque building that is part of a grandiose project begun in 1718 by the architect Filippo Juvarra on the request of Vittorio Amedeo II. The project was eventually taken up by the architect Carlo Randoni at the end of the 18th century but was left unfinished due to the Napoleonic invasion.

Esterno:

Situato in posizione dominante all'imbocco della Valle di Susa, il Castello è costituito da un imponente edificio barocco, parte di un grandioso progetto avviato nel 1718 dall'architetto Filippo Juvarra su incarico di Vittorio Amedeo. Il progetto fu ripreso dall'architetto Carlo Randoni alla fine del Settecento ma non fu portato a termine a causa dell'invasione delle truppe napoleoniche.




Strium:

In the atrium an elevated slate floor and some white marble slabs show the history of the staircase's construction. It was designed by the architect Carlo Randoni at the end of the 18th century and replaced Juvarra's original wood structure.
Of the five flights designed for the project only the two leading up to the first floor were completed.

Atrio:

Un piano di ardesia in elevazione e alcune lastre di marmo bianco indicano, sul pavimento dell'atrio, l'andamento delle strutture murarie della scala progettata dall'architetto Carlo Randoni alla fine del XVIII secolo, in sostituzione dello scalone in legno fatto costruire da Juvarra.
Delle cinque rampe previste dal progetto vennero completate solo le prime due, sino al primo piano del Castello.




Stairwell:

The current metallic staircase, suspended by steel tie-beams, designed by the architect Andrea Bruno and completed in 1984, can be found in the same space once occupied by part of the 18th century staircase. From Juvarra's original design only the foundation and the first flight of stairs outside the castle were built. Some writing can still be seen on the walls which relates to the planning of the staircase support system designed at the end of 18th century by Carlo Randoni but left incomplete.

Scala:

L'attuale scala metallica sorretta da tiranti in acciaio, progettata dell'architetto Andrea Bruno e ultimata nel 1984, è inserita nello stesso vano in cui si trovava parte di uno scalone settecentesco.
Dell'originario disegno juvarriano furono impostate solo le strutture di fondazione e il primo rampante, oggi esterno.
Sulle pareti sono visibili graffiti che corrispondono ai tracciamenti delle strutture di sostegno della scala progettata alla fine del Settecento da Carlo Randoni e compiuta solo in parte.

First Floor:

The Castle floors are accessed by a metallic staircase suspended by steel tie-beams designed by the architect Andrea Bruno. Galleries 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 16 and 17 are painted white and were never decorated due to interruptions in construction during the tenure of both architects, Filippo Juvarra and Carlo Randoni. From these we proceed to gallery 7, known as the State Room or Room of the Grotesques. The decoration of this room was begun with Juvarra and completed at the end of the century when the court chambers were prepared. The vault preserves a fresco which has been attributed to the workshop of Filippo Minei and Nicolò Malatto.
Gallery 8, the Room of the Cages, along with the three adjacent rooms, made up the chambers of Vittorio Amedeo II.

Primo piano:

Ai piani del Castello si accede tramite la scala metallica sorretta da tiranti d'acciaio realizzata dall'architetto Andrea Bruno. Le sale 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 16, 17, tinteggiate in bianco, non sono mai state decorate a causa dell'interruzione dei cantieri juvarriano e randoniano. A queste seguono la sala 7, Sala di Parata o A grottesche, la cui decorazione, iniziata in epoca juvarriana, fu completata alla fine del secolo quando furono preparati gli appartamenti per la corte. La volta conserva un affresco attribuito al cantiere di Filippo Minei e Nicolò Malatto.
La sala 8, Sala delle Gabbie, costituiva con le tre seguenti l'appartamento di Vittorio Amedeo II.

Second Floor:

Galleries 18, 19 and 20, bereft of decorations due to the interruption of Juvarra's building program, lead to room 21, the Audience Chamber. This latter room probably served as the bed chambers for Maria Beatrice, the eldest daughter of the Duchess of Aosta and Vittorio Amedeo I, King of Sardinia. The ceiling vault is decorated in pastel colors with eight groups of putti gathered at a faux balustrade. The entire pictorial repertoire in the room is the work of Giovenale Bongiovanni whose signature can be seen at the base of the vault, above the cornice.

Secondo piano:

Dopo le sale 18, 19 e 20, prive di decorazioni per l'interruzione dei cantieri, si succedono la sala 21, Sala di Udienza, probabilmente camera da letto di Maria Beatrice, primogenita della duchessa d'Aosta e di Vittorio Amedeo I, re di Sardegna. La volta è decorata a colori pastello con otto gruppi di putti che si affacciano da una finta balaustra. Tutto il repertorio pittorico della sala è opera di Giovenale Bongiovanni la cui firma è visibile al piede della volta, sopra il cornicione.





Third Floor:

Used as chambers for the court members and the military entourages of sovereigns, this floor was never decorated.
Its architectural layout dates back to the architect Juvarra and essentially remained unmodified until the 1800s when a decision to utilize the building for military purposes necessitated radical changes. According to the 18th century project, the large rectangular chambers contained thirteen smaller apartments that were periodically used by members of the court and the military entourages of sovereigns.

Terzo piano:

Adibito a zona per gli appartamenti della corte e dei funzionari militari al seguito dei sovrani non fu mai decorato.
La sua configurazione architettonica risale al cantiere juvarriano e resta sostanzialmente immutata sino all'inoltrato Ottocento, quando la destinazione militare dell'edificio implicò radicali cambiamenti.
Secondo il progetto settecentesco nei grandi cameroni quadrangolari, coperti da solai lignei a cassettoni, si trovavano tredici piccoli appartamenti, che ospitavano periodicamente parte della corte e dei funzionari militari al seguito dei sovrani.





Manica Lunda:

The Manica Lunga – in English “long sleeve” – gets its name from the unusual dimensions of the structure. The building was built in the mid-17th century to house the painting collection of Prince Carlo Emanuele I. Seriously compromised after transformations carried out beginning in the 19th century, the architecture has been restored to its original image by Andrea Bruno, who reinstated the windows, eliminated interior partitions and added a new roof and elements necessary for the structure to be used as a new wing of the Museum.
The Manica Lunga contains the Conference Hall, the Communication Department, the Library and the Video Library, the Bookshop and the Museum Café.

Manica Lunga:

La Manica Lunga rappresenta il secondo nucleo monumentale della residenza sabauda di Rivoli, l'unica parte superstite del complesso seicentesco a seguito dell'interruzione del cantiere juvarriano.
L'inusuale conformazione volumetrica, 140 metri di lunghezza per 7 metri di larghezza, si deve alla sua destinazione originaria a Pinacoteca, costruita per ospitare le collezioni di Carlo Emanuele I.
L'odierna destinazione espositiva rappresenta quindi un interessante caso di ripristino della funzione originaria.



Source:  Castello di Rivoli - Museo d'Arte Contemporanea