Vinovo: Renaissance Palace and River Park

Vinovo is home to Castello della Rovere, Chiesa di Santa Croce, Chiesa di San Bartolomeo and Santuario di San Desiderio. The Torrente Chisola river park is also located north of the built-up centre.

Renaissance Palace with a History of Porcelain

Castello della Rovere is a Renaissance palace built between 1480 and 1517 to a design by the architect Baccio Pontelli. Its construction period places the palace firmly in the Renaissance; the architect’s name adds a specific art-historical attribution to this historical context. The rooms of Castello della Rovere feature valuable stucco work and grotesque paintings from the school of Pinturicchio. For those interested in culture, both the period of construction and the design of the interiors therefore take centre stage.

From 1776 onwards, the Castello housed the Royal Porcelain Manufactory, which was strongly supported by Victor Amadeus III of Savoy. This later use adds another period to the history of the Renaissance palace. The same building thus brings Renaissance architecture and the history of porcelain production into a direct chronological relationship.

Churches with Their Own History

Chiesa di Santa Croce was built between 1580 and 1585 by the Compagnia di Santa Croce, whose members were generally known as Battuti Bianchi. Liturgical celebrations take place there on certain occasions, including the Feast of Santa Croce, the Stations of the Cross and the Feast of the Sorrowful Madonna.

Chiesa di Santa Croce is also usually used for temporary religious exhibitions, including Christmas exhibitions featuring nativity scenes. In addition to the liturgical celebrations, this gives the site a second religious focus associated with changing exhibitions.

Chiesa di San Bartolomeo is located in Vinovo’s pedestrian zone and is accessible to people with disabilities. The parish church was created in 1451 by expanding a private chapel belonging to the Della Rovere family in the area of the castle. Santuario di San Desiderio houses an extensive collection of votive offerings.

Torrente Chisola River Park

The Torrente Chisola river park is located directly north of Vinovo’s built-up centre. From Via del Castello, it can be reached on foot or by bicycle via an underpass. Those heading to the park on foot or by bicycle can therefore use Via del Castello and the underpass as their points of reference.

The river park is intended for walks, bike rides and horseback rides. Walking, cycling and riding each involve a different way of getting around, while the park remains the shared landscape setting. For planning the day, you can therefore first decide whether a walk, a bike ride or a horseback ride should be the main focus.

Discover More Destinations

If you would like to include more destinations in your plans, you can also explore Cantalupa, Cambiano, Castagneto Po, Sant'anna, Airasca, San Secondo Di Pinerolo, Mazzè and Exilles.

For the overview of the wider travel region: Turin.