The Rivoli Castle is a former Residence of the Royal House of Savoy in Rivoli (

Metropolitan City of Turin The Metropolitan City of Turin (; Piedmontese language, Piedmontese: ''sità metropolitan-a 'd Turin'') is a Metropolitan cities of Italy, metropolitan city in the Piedmont region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Turin. It replaced the prov ...

, Italy). It is currently home to the Castello di Rivoli – Museo d'Arte Contemporanea, the museum of contemporary art of Turin. In 1997, it was placed on the

UNESCO World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

list along with 13 other residences of the House of Savoy.

History

The castle was probably built in the 9th–10th centuries. Its existence is mentioned for the first time in 1159, in a diploma by Emperor

Frederick Barbarossa Frederick Barbarossa (December 1122 – 10 June 1190), also known as Frederick I (; ), was the Holy Roman Emperor from 1155 until his death in 1190. He was elected King of Germany in Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned in Aachen on 9 March 115 ...

that ceded the Rivolese territories to the bishops of Turin. The

House of Savoy The House of Savoy (, ) is a royal house (formally a dynasty) of Franco-Italian origin that was established in 1003 in the historical region of Savoy, which was originally part of the Kingdom of Burgundy and now lies mostly within southeastern F ...

acquired Rivoli in the 11th century. Soon afterwards, a feud began with the bishops, which in 1184 resulted in damage to the castle. In 1273 King

Edward I of England Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots (Latin: Malleus Scotorum), was King of England from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he was Lord of Ireland, and from 1254 ...

visited, returning from crusade to England, he was met by the Count of Savoy's messengers before travelling on to

Susa Susa ( ) was an ancient city in the lower Zagros Mountains about east of the Tigris, between the Karkheh River, Karkheh and Dez River, Dez Rivers in Iran. One of the most important cities of the Ancient Near East, Susa served as the capital o ...

and the

Mont Cenis Mont Cenis (; , ) is a massif in Savoie (France) (with an elevation of at Pointe de Ronce and a pass at an elevation of ), which forms the limit between the Cottian and Graian Alps. Etymology The term "Mont Cenis" could be derived from '' ...

on the way to visit Count

Philip I Philip(p) I may refer to: * Philip I of Macedon (7th century BC) * Philip I Philadelphus (between 124 and 109 BC–83 or 75 BC) * Philip the Arab (c. 204–249), Roman Emperor * Philip I of France (1052–1108) * Philip I (archbishop of Cologne) ( ...

at Saint-Georges-d'Espéranche. In 1330

Amadeus VI of Savoy Amadeus VI (4 January 1334 – 1 March 1383), nicknamed the Green Count () was Count of Savoy from 1343 to 1383. He was the eldest son of Aymon, Count of Savoy, and Yolande Palaeologina of Montferrat. Though he began his rule under a regency, ...

allowed the Consiglio dei Principi, which is the senior administrative council of the countryside, to occupy it. The castle was the first place of public veneration of the

Shroud of Turin The Shroud of Turin (), also known as the Holy Shroud (), is a length of linen cloth that bears a faint image of the front and back of a naked man. Because details of the image are consistent with depiction of Jesus, traditional depictions o ...

. The castle then experienced a period of decline. In 1559, the

Treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis The Treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis in April 1559 ended the Italian Wars (1494–1559). It consisted of two separate treaties, one between England and France on 2 April, and another between France and Spain on 3 April. Although he was not a signatory ...

forbade

Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy Emmanuel Philibert (; ; 8 July 1528 – 30 August 1580), known as (; "Ironhead", because of his military career), was Duke of Savoy and ruler of the Savoyard states from 17 August 1553 until his death in 1580. He is notably remembered for resto ...

from residing in Turin until he had a male child. He therefore resided in the Castle of Rivoli, having it restored by architect

Ascanio Vitozzi Ascanio Vitozzi (also spelled Ascanio Baschi di Vitozzo or Vittozzi) (1539–23 October 1615) was an Italian soldier, architect, and military engineer. Born at Orvieto, the son of Ercole Lord of Montevitozzo (or Vitozzo), he fought in the Papal a ...

. In 1562 his heir

Charles Emmanuel I Charles Emmanuel I (; 12 January 1562 – 26 July 1630), known as the Great, was the Duke of Savoy and ruler of the Savoyard states from 30 August 1580 until his death almost 50 years later in 1630, he was the longest-reigning Savoyard monarch ...

was born, and he returned to Turin. Works on Vitozzi's designs were brought on until 1644 under Carlo and

Amedeo di Castellamonte Amedeo Cognengo di Castellamonte (1618 – 17 September 1683) was an Italian architect, civil and military engineer. Biography He was born in Castellamonte (in what is now the province of Turin, then in the Duchy of Savoy). His father Carlo be ...

, with the construction of the so-called ''Manica Lunga'', intended to house the Savoy Gallery, the sole 17th-century part of the edifice still visible today. Numerous works of art were stolen by French troops in the following years. At the beginning of the 18th century, the castle and the Manica Lunga were set on fire and sacked by the French, due to the

War of the Spanish Succession The War of the Spanish Succession was a European great power conflict fought between 1701 and 1714. The immediate cause was the death of the childless Charles II of Spain in November 1700, which led to a struggle for control of the Spanish E ...

. After the siege of 1706,

Victor Amadeus II Victor Amadeus II (; 14 May 166631 October 1732) was the head of the House of Savoy and ruler of the Savoyard states from 12 June 1675 until his abdication in 1730. He was the first of his house to acquire a royal crown, ruling first as King o ...

regained possession of the territories and ordered the restructuring of the damage suffered, first entrusting the work to Michelangelo Garove, who enlarged the "Manica Lunga", then, after his death, to Antonio Bertola. The latter followed the construction sites for another three years, until

Filippo Juvarra Filippo Juvarra (7 March 1678 – 31 January 1736) was an Italian architect, scenographer, engraver and goldsmith. He was active in a late-Baroque architecture style, working primarily in Italy, Spain, and Portugal. Biography Juvarra was born ...

intervened in 1716; the famous architect in fact had a grandiose project in mind, but the works were not completed. Only the extensions of the two eastern symmetrical wings were finished, but an unfinished façade was left. In 1730, Victor Amadeus II lived his madness here: despite having abdicated in favor of his son, he refused to let go of business and tried to oust

Charles Emmanuel III of Sardinia Charles Emmanuel III (27 April 1701 – 20 February 1773) was Duke of Savoy, King of Sardinia and ruler of the Savoyard states from his father's abdication on 3 September 1730 until his death in 1773. He was the paternal grandfather of the l ...

, who, in concert with his minister, Carlo Vincenzo Ferrero d'Ormea, decided to lock up his father in the residence in Rivoli. For that occasion, the building was modified again: gratings were added to the windows and the access to the Manica Lunga was closed. Then in 1794, some alterations were carried out by Carlo Randoni, for at least partial use of the residence.

19th century and onward

commissioned a new façade from

, which also went unfinished. After his abdication and failed attempt to regain power from his son

Charles Emmanuel III Charles Emmanuel III (27 April 1701 – 20 February 1773) was Duke of Savoy, List of monarchs of Sardinia, King of Sardinia and ruler of the Savoyard states from his Victor Amadeus II, father's abdication on 3 September 1730 until his death ...

, Victor Amadeus lived here as a prisoner with his morganatic spouse the Marchesa di Spigno. After his death, the castle remained mostly abandoned, until in 1863, when the

comune A (; : , ) is an administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions () and provinces (). The can also have the City status in Italy, titl ...

of Rivoli turned it into barracks. Twenty years later a section was used as library. The edifice was heavily damaged during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, and remained in a substantial state of abandon until 1979, when new works of restoration were begun. In 1984 the castle was reopened as the home of the , the first contemporary art museum in Italy. In 2000, the castle also became home to a Michelin-starred restaurant when chef Davide Scabin moved his restaurant Combal there, renaming it Combal.Zero.

Renovation projects

The first post-

renovation works were carried out under the Turin architect Andrea Bruno. Unfortunately, the initiative was not completed, available funding being enough only repair of structural damage. In 1967, Bruno proceeded to break down the decaying parts of the atrium, built at the beginning of 900 AD.

Exhibitions

Since its launch, Castello di Rivoli has presented an ongoing programme within its

Baroque architecture Baroque architecture is a highly decorative and theatrical style which appeared in Italy in the late 16th century and gradually spread across Europe. It was originally introduced by the Catholic Church, particularly by the Jesuits, as a means to ...

and offsite, including solo shows, special commissions as well as group exhibitions featuring important Italian and International contemporary artists of the 20th and 21st centuries, such as: aaajiao,

Carla Accardi Carla Accardi (9 October 1924 – 23 February 2014) was an Italian abstract painter associated with the Arte Informale and Arte Povera movements, and a founding member of the Italian art groups Forma (1947) and Continuità (1961). Biography Bor ...

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, Yuri Ancarani, Giovanni Anselmo,

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, Bernd & Hilla Becher,

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, Anna Boghiguian,

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, Sophie Calle, Pier Paolo Calzolari,

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, Gianni Colombo, Claudia Comte,

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, Roberto Cuoghi,

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, Bruna Esposito,

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, Lara Favaretto,

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, James Lee Byars,

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, Bertrand Lavier, Renato Leotta, Richard Long,

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, Joan Mirò, Carlo Mollino,

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, Uriel Orlow,

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, Elizabeth Peyton, Paola Pivi, Arnulf Rainer, Michael Rakowitz, Robin Rhode, James Richards,

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, Anri Sala,

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, and

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, amongst others.

Permanent Collection

The Permanent Collection documents crucial moments in the development of contemporary art in Italy and abroad, from the mid-1960s to the present. It sits at the heart of the Museum activities and includes large permanent installations produced specially for the rooms of the historic royal residence. It comprises some of the most significant

Arte Povera Arte Povera (; literally "poor art") was an art movement that took place between the end of the 1960s and the beginning of the 1970s in major cities throughout Italy and above all in Turin. Other cities where the movement was also important are ...

works by artists such as Giovanni Anselmo,

Alighiero Boetti Alighiero Fabrizio Boetti, known as Alighiero e Boetti (16 December 1940 – 24 April 1994) was an Italian Conceptual Art, conceptual artist, considered to be a member of the art movement Arte Povera. Background Boetti is most famous for a se ...

Marisa Merz Marisa Merz (née Maria Luisa Truccato 23 May 1926 – 20 July 2019) was an Italian artist and sculptor.

Michelangelo Pistoletto Michelangelo Pistoletto (born 23 June 1933) is an Italian painter, action and object artist, and art theorist. Pistoletto is acknowledged as one of the main representatives of the Italian Arte Povera. His work mainly deals with the subject mat ...

; seminal pieces by contemporary Italian artists such as

; as well as important works from the Transavanguardia,

Land Art Land art, variously known as Earth art, environmental art, and Earthworks, is an art movement that emerged in the 1960s and 1970s, largely associated with Great Britain and the United StatesArt in the modern era: A guide to styles, schools, & mo ...

, and artworks reflecting the latest contemporary international expressions. In 2021, the

sculptor

donated more than 200 works on paper to the Castle of Rivoli – including autographed work notes, handwritten reflections, design sketches, architectural renderings and photographs linked to major pieces – as well as a version of ''Svolgere la propria pelle – finestra'' ("To Unravel One's Skin – Window", 1970-2019) originally presented at the

Fridericianum The Fridericianum is a museum in Kassel, Germany. Built in 1779, it is one of the oldest public museums in Europe.

in Kassel in 1972.

Cerruti Collection

In 2017, the Castle of Rivoli announced the acquisition of the Cerruti art collection, estimated to be valued at $570 million. Among the works collected by Federico Cerruti are paintings by

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Pablo Picasso Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso (25 October 1881 – 8 April 1973) was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, Ceramic art, ceramicist, and Scenic ...

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Wassily Kandinsky Wassily Wassilyevich Kandinsky ( – 13 December 1944) was a Russian painter and art theorist. Kandinsky is generally credited as one of the pioneers of abstract art, abstraction in western art. Born in Moscow, he spent his childhood in ...

, and

. Furthermore, Villa Cerruti plays an important role within the complex of the Castle of Rivoli thanks also to its "green" element. As far as the castle itself is concerned, only a small part of the ancient existing garden is still present, namely the

nymphaeum A ''nymphaeum'' (Latin : ''nymphaea'') or ''nymphaion'' (), in ancient Greece and Rome, was a monument consecrated to the nymphs, especially those of springs. These monuments were originally natural grottoes, which tradition assigned as habit ...

. This is an artificial cave constructed at the end of the 16th century on the hillside, lined with bricks, supplied by an underground water cistern and covered with spontaneous vegetation. Through an accurate restoration, this site is nowadays open to visitors who are entertained by water games and music. In addition to this small green area, Villa Cerruti intervenes with its peculiar and rather significant garden. In fact, it presents a place for monastic meditation, an agricultural area with a henhouse and a vegetable garden, a play area with a bowling alley, a panoramic view on the Alps and the wood. The most intimate place of the entire property can be found in the wood and it consists of a dog cemetery, in which Cerruti used to bury his pets. The nymphaeum together with the garden of Villa Cerruti provide the Castle of Rivoli with a green lung. This means that the nymphaeum and the garden act as a green space or area that contributes to the overall environment of the Castle of Rivoli.

Library

The Castle of Rivoli's library has been open to the public since 1999 and specialises in 20th and 21st-century art and theory, with a focus on artists featured in the museum's collections. It includes about 44,000 books and periodicals divided into the following categories:

contemporary art Contemporary art is a term used to describe the art of today, generally referring to art produced from the 1970s onwards. Contemporary artists work in a globally influenced, culturally diverse, and technologically advancing world. Their art is a ...

photography Photography is the visual arts, art, application, and practice of creating images by recording light, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film. It is empl ...

architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and construction, constructi ...

design A design is the concept or proposal for an object, process, or system. The word ''design'' refers to something that is or has been intentionally created by a thinking agent, and is sometimes used to refer to the inherent nature of something ...

and

advertising Advertising is the practice and techniques employed to bring attention to a Product (business), product or Service (economics), service. Advertising aims to present a product or service in terms of utility, advantages, and qualities of int ...

from 1960 to the present day. It also houses an accessible video library with over 900 videos. Since 2009, the Castle of Rivoli Library has been part of the Cobis Coordinamento delle Biblioteche Speciali e Specialistiche di Torino, a local network of specialist libraries.

Directors and Board

Chairmen * Giovanni Ferrero (1984–1987) * Antonio Maria Marocco (1987–1988) * Marco Rivetti (1988–1994) * Clara Palmas (1994–1999) * Cesare Annibaldi (1999–2009) * Giovanni Minoli (2009–2015) * Daniela Formento (2015–2017) * Alberto Tazzetti (2017–2019) * Fiorenzo Alfieri (2019–2020) * Francesca Lavazza (2021–present) Directors *

Rudi Fuchs Rudolf Herman "Rudi" Fuchs (born 28 April 1942) is a Dutch art historian and curator. Personal life Rudolf Herman Fuchs was born on 28 April 1942 in Eindhoven in the Netherlands. He studied art history from 1967 to 1975 at Leiden University, aft ...

and Johannes Gachnang (1984–1991) * Ida Giannelli (1991–2008) *

Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev (born December 2, 1957) is an Italian-American writer, art historian, and exhibition maker who served as the Director of Castello di Rivoli Museo d'Arte Contemporanea in Turin in 2009 and from 2016 to 2023. She was al ...

(2009) * Andrea Bellini and Beatrice Merz (2010–2014) *

(2015–2024) * Francesco Manacorda (from 2024)Gareth Harris (27 September 2023)
Francesco Manacorda appointed director of Castello di Rivoli in Turin
''

The Art Newspaper ''The Art Newspaper'' is a monthly print publication, with daily updates online, founded in 1990 and based in London and New York City. It covers news of the visual arts as they are affected by international politics and economics, developments i ...

''. Current board of directors * Gianluca Ferrero (Vice-President and Member) * Maria Sabrina Fichera (Member) * Marco Chiriotti (Board Secretary) * Alessandro Cian (Board Secretary) * Elvira Pozzo (Board of Auditors) * Laura Schiavone (Board of Auditors) * Luigi Scalise (Board of Auditors substitute) Current Advisory Committee * Lara Favaretto *

Peter Galison Peter Louis Galison (born May 17, 1955) is an American historian and philosopher of science. He is the Joseph Pellegrino University Professor in history of science and technology, history of science and physics at Harvard University. Biography G ...

Joan Jonas Joan Jonas (born July 13, 1936) is an American visual artist and a pioneer of video and performance art, "a central figure in the performance art movement of the late 1960s".William Kentridge William Kentridge (born 28 April 1955) is a South African artist best known for his prints, drawings, and animated films. He is especially noted for a sequence of hand-drawn animated films he produced during the 1990s, constructed by filming ...

* Chus Martinez *

Popular culture

The palace is the setting for the play '' King Victor and King Charles'' by

Robert Browning Robert Browning (7 May 1812 – 12 December 1889) was an English poet and playwright whose dramatic monologues put him high among the Victorian literature, Victorian poets. He was noted for irony, characterization, dark humour, social commentar ...

References

External links

Official website
{{authority control Rivoli Art museums and galleries in Piedmont Buildings and structures in the Metropolitan City of Turin Residences of the Royal House of Savoy Buildings and structures completed in the 12th century Art museums and galleries established in 1984 1984 establishments in Italy Baroque architecture in Piedmont Filippo Juvarra buildings Contemporary art galleries in Italy Rivoli, Piedmont nl:Museo d'Arte Contemporanea del castello di Rivoli