In a strategic location, for more than a thousand years the Castle of Masino (TO) has been overlooking the immense Canavese plain from high ground in front of the evocative morainic barrier of the Serra di Ivrea. It suffered many attacks but remained property of the noble Valperga dynasty since the very beginning, documented as far back as 1070. Legend says that the family descends from Arduin of Ivrea, the first King of Italy. The castle was then converted into an aristocratic residence, and then into an elegant holiday home. This glorious past is recounted by the halls themselves, which are adorned with frescoes and ostentatious furnishings, and by the bedrooms used by visiting ambassadors, the private apartments, the lounges and the panoramic terraces, the priceless library, which plays host to more than 25,000 antique volumes.
Outside the castle, there are monumental, romantic grounds, featuring one of the largest mazes in Italy, a majestic tree-lined boulevard, large clearings and picturesque corners that, in spring, are inundated by beautiful blossom. Acquired in 1988 by FAI from Luigi Valperga di Masino thanks to a donation from FIAT, the Cassa di Risparmio di Torino and Maglificio Calzificio Torinese.
FAI - Fondo Ambiente Italiano
Via Carlo Foldi 2 - 20135 Milano
Phone: +39 02 46 76 15 393
Email: m.pizzorni@fondoambiente.it
