Overview
Built in the 11th century on a morainic hill located at the entrance to the Susa Valley, the Stronghold passed to the Savoy in the 14th century, who transformed the building into a court residence. The first expansion works were entrusted to Francesco Paciotto in 1562 and concluded by Ascanio Vittozzi, Carlo and Amedeo di Castellamonte in 1670. The structure consisted of a central body, a large gallery (known as a "long sleeve") and a terraced garden.
After the damage inflicted by French troops in 1693, reconstruction of the stronghold began in 1703, under the direction of Michelangelo Garove; his project included the extension of the building, with the addition of an atrium, a ballroom and a grand staircase. In 1715, the task of supervising the works was entrusted to Filippo Juvarra, who remained in office until 1727. However, the Napoleonic occupation interrupted the operation leaving it incomplete. The castle experienced a progressive deterioration in the following centuries, until 1979, the year in which the restoration work entrusted to the architect Andrea Bruno began.
Since 1984, the Stronghold has been home to the Museum of Contemporary Art, which exhibits important temporary exhibitions in addition to the permanent collection. Some interior rooms retain 18th-century stucco and frescoes.
