Park of La Mandria - The Royal Apartments of the Borgo Castello
Progetto La Venaria Reale

Cascina Rubbianetta, Park of La Mandria
Progetto La Venaria Reale

A fox in the Park, Park of La Mandria
Progetto La Venaria Reale

Park of La Mandria - The Oak Path
Progetto La Venaria Reale

Park of La Mandria, carriage
Progetto La Venaria Reale

The Park of La Mandria was set up in 1978 to safeguard the 3,600 hectares of land that the Savoy Rulers had enclosed within a 35-km long fencing wall, along with the historical buildings present within the boundaries of the Park. These include the Borgo Castello complex, inside which, in the “Royal Apartments” wing, King Vittorio Emanuele II would often spend his days with his morganatic spouse Rosa Vercellana, generally known as “la Bela Rosin” (the lovely Rose).

The close connection between La Mandria, the town of Venaria Reale and the Reggia is a historical fact: the estate was created in the second half of the 18th century as a centre for the breeding of purebred horses that would be used by the Royal Family for hunting with their train in the area of Venaria.
The construction of the so-called Castle started in the early 1700s and coincided with the second building phase of the Reggia di Venaria: after Michelangelo Garove, other famous architects worked on the estate including Filippo Juvarra and Benedetto Alfieri, who were already involved in the construction of the Reggia.

After Napoleon’s invasion, a new chapter began in the history of the future Park, when Vittorio Emanuele II, Italy’s first King, purchased the estate in 1863 and it soon became his favourite: it was at this time that the building complex was enlarged and enriched with Neogothic elements typical of the time, taking the shape of the current Borgo Castello.

In the late 1800s the estate became the property of the Medici del Vascello family. Between 1920 and 1930 reclamation works were undertaken that gave the park its current appearance.
In 1946 the Medici del Vascello family were forced to relinquish part of their land, and in 1976 the Regional Government purchased the remaining 1,345 hectares that would be increased by 500 in 1995 with the addition of the Villa dei Laghi estate.

Inside the system of La Venaria Reale, the Park of La Mandria has its own peculiarities: it is one of the largest and most important environmental preserves in the Italian North-West where several animal species live in a natural state; it is the most significant remaining example of a lowland forest in the Region (for these reasons it was declared a “Site of Community Importance" within the Natura 2000 network); it is the Italy’s largest historical park enclosed by a boundary wall (the second-largest in Europe); it is the site of one of the Savoy Residences, the Royal Apartments of Borgo Castello that were declared part of UNESCO’s World Heritage.

La Mandria also boasts remarkable historical and architectural assets, with 20 historically relevant buildings, including several ancient farms, the remains of a medieval shelter, two hunting lodges (La Bizzarria and Villa dei Laghi) and Cascina Rubbianetta, today the seat of the International Riding Centre.

In addition to the Borgo Castello with its cultural and museum activities and to the other historical sites, the Park is characterised by its “natural” component, a unique environment that offers long-lost and most unusual experiences: from the sensations evoked by its “silence”, “natural scents”, and “darkness”, to the walking/hiking itineraries and cycling routes, from the discovery of its wild flora and fauna to the guided tours out in the moorland, to discover the park’s underwood or the centuries-old fossils, to the chance of plunging into the slow pace of a entirely natural environment.
Visitors can enjoy these experiences on their own or following the paths and participating in the scientific activities organized by the Park’s staff.

View of the Borgo Castello, Park of La Mandria
Progetto La Venaria Reale

Park of La Mandria - view of Villa dei Laghi
Progetto La Venaria Reale

Park of La Mandria
Progetto La Venaria Reale

Deer Herd in the Park, Park of La Mandria
Progetto La Venaria Reale