The Magnificent Piedmont Palaces Built By The Dukes Of Savoy | Real Royalty

[Music] europe's castles on the trail of the european aristocracy we investigate france's loire valley germany's baden-wurttemberg the south of england italy's piedmont and the castles around lisbon in portugal the armory of palazzo riyala in turin a display of power and a place of mystery the piedmont rice fields home to the king of rice's [Music] nurtured by italian women since the savoy era stupinichi palace built for noble recreation the art of falconry still thrives here today the castle way in piedmont it leads from venereal reality one of the main seats of the savoy kings over stubenichi hunting lodge to the palazzo riyala in turin [Music] piedmont the land at the foot of the mountain not far from turin sakura de san michela a medieval place of pilgrimage on the alpine road to rome the tower soars up 167 meters and has dominated the turin skyline for over 100 years [Music] at the heart of the city lies the royal palace palazzo really once home to the savoy rulers one of them carlo alberto amadeo king of sardinia and a passionate collector his collection boasted show pieces like this ceremonial sword belonging to napoleon bonaparte and also a relic the sword of saint morris dino macarona is the guardian and restorer of the treasures in the amaria reale and has been for 35 years [Music] his armory features over 5 000 cutting weapons and firearms from across the globe suits of armor testify to the grandeur of bygone tournaments horses stand ready for medieval jewels the coats glistening the restorer found his vocation in this realm of armored dwarves and giants [Music] i silver suits of armor and gilded swords have passed through his hands evoking images of battles from the past [Music] grimaces like these intimidated the enemy in jousting battles it takes several weeks for dina macarona to restore a helmet and up to seven months for an entire suit of armor the passing of time destroyed one of his son's childhood dreams [Music] his wish to slip into the gleaming child's suit of armor the dilemma by the time his father had restored this magnificent showpiece the boy had long outgrown it some artifacts posed particular challenges for dino macaroni such as this helmet from the 15th century he had no leather to line the metal cheek plates the solution to his predicament a pair of women's red shoes foreign the collection has symbolized the savoy dynasty's pride for 180 years [Music] dino was its guardian for 35 years self-taught the restorer spent many years battling against corrosion and decay he understands the transitory nature of his work now his restoring days are over [Music] [Music] foreign [Applause] turin the city of a thousand churches a particularly precious item found its home in turin cathedral where it almost met its end the santa holy shroud part of the savoy estate brought to turin in a casket by the knights templar and housed in a specially built chapel [Music] it is the catholic church's most important icon and is said to have veiled the body of christ after the crucifixion its authenticity is disputed even today it is still shrouded in mystery this much coveted item belonged to the savoy dynasty for over 500 years until the last italian king bequeathed the relic to the vatican [Music] fate created a strong bond between this man and the turin shroud mario tremotore firemen you know on the 11th of april 1997 a disaster had the whole of italy holding its breath the black chapel that housed the turin shroud had gone up in flames the fire was visible across the city as it blazed from the dome the firefighters were the heroes of the night [Music] this was mario tremetore's finest hour he spotted the sea of flames from his balcony and ran to help his colleagues [Music] the santo sindona safely stored in its silver shrine behind bulletproof glass was in danger of being engulfed by the flames mario tremotore took a sledgehammer and hit the glass with all his might until the almost impossible became reality moments [Music] oh [Music] um mondo [Music] basilica di superga a church of pilgrimage and a vast burial site for the house of savoy nearby pearl river flowing 652 kilometers it is italy's longest river its waters stretch as far as the rice fields [Music] the peered montes call this seemingly endless phenomenon the padan sea two thousand rice farms are scattered across the region tenuta colombara is one such farm the savoy rulers realized the value of this rice piero rondolino's grandfather bought the farm from the italian royalty [Music] rice farming is a passion that goes back generations here he grows carnaroli the king of the rice's he refines the grain removes it from its husk and then replaces the seed creating a unique product [Music] is his nickname helped by his family he combines tradition with unorthodox methods storing his rice for up to seven years piedmontese rice is a much-loved delicacy in china the rice bowl of northern italy europe's largest rice growing area since the savoy era today the fields seem empty in days gone by they were filled with the sound of female song [Music] he saw them first as a young boy since then few have caught a glimpse of the realm of the rice women [Music] each year thousands of mondina flocked from all over italy to the vercelli rice fields for 40 days their pay one kilogram of rice per day it's not hard to imagine the rice farm's former splendor 400 livestock animals and 300 people cultivated the fields and farm complete with its own forges farm dwellings were simple the meager existence and daily toil united the rice women they shared the same fate they rose up and demanded better working conditions italian [Music] [Music] they even cushioned harsh criticism of their padrona in melodic song they sang about love and deprivation and toiled in time with the rhythm of the music the fields fell silent some 25 years ago and the mondina about a faint memory of an old italian rice tradition [Music] since then carbs have taken over the work of the rice women they now rid the rice fields of pests and weeds but their days are number two soon machines will take their place what remains is a love of rice and memories of values from the past not far from turin la mandria nature park villa de lagi where the king relaxed after successful hunting trips the royal residence recha di veneria a prime example of piedmontese baroque an unremarkable exterior a grand impressive interior the aristocracy reveled here for nearly 100 years until it fell to napoleon bonaparte the residents became barracks fell into disrepair and even faced demolition 30 years ago [Music] thanks to this man the castle is still standing gianfranco falzone surgeon and castle savior ammunition boxes were stacked here for 220 years now it's home to the majestic savoy ancestral gallery after a 50-year battle to preserve this castle this site gives jim franco a great sense of personal satisfaction [Music] [Music] another wonderful creation is a piedmontese speciality prince vittorio amadeo ii frail and prone to gastric problems could not stomach normal bread on the orders of his doctor a baker invented the finger thin yeast breadsticks the birth of grissini in the 18th century [Music] 1789 marked the beginning of the end the grandiose seat of the savoy dynasty fell to napoleon he downgraded the palace to barracks and the garden to a parade grand napoleon ordered everything to be seized even the queen's bed it has been restored to its former glory gianfranco falzone's dream has become reality as a child he often peeked into the castle courtyard at that time still being misused as a military barracks [Music] the castle estate was his magical adventure playground one place held a particular appeal the castle church of santo berto its sacred architecture inspired him particularly the baroque altar evoking dreams of heroes and good deeds of castles and guardian angels and it still does today she [Music] a half his life revolved around the reconstruction of the castle estate for over 20 years he did not leave this site for a single day with the help of his association and the italian state he transformed the ruins into a majestic castle once again [Music] its beauty and grandeur impressed french king louis xiv so much that he based the design of versailles on the savoy royal residence [Music] [Music] um [Music] the garden of di veneria was a hub of courtly amusement and diversion for nearly 100 years like the fashions it too reflected the tastes of the period 16th century gardens featured a refreshing blend of ponds lakes and water features [Music] such as the former hercules fountain an elaborate structure adorned with sculptures obelisks and grottos once rose up over these glistening blue waters all that is left today are picturesque ruins the italian renaissance garden it fell prey to the french baroque as did the temple of diana a circle is the only trace of the former observation tower a particularly popular pastime among the ladies of court in the baroque period parlor games from places as distant as the far east such as mikado from china this man is a fan of the savoy period's recreational pursuits paul broyer games builder designer and leisure courtier the art of painting and reading tarot cards and poems was popular at court [Applause] as was the game of skill giaco di barilli a precursor to billiards rediscovered and reconstructed by paul broyer me [Music] once a car designer at fiat he has pursued this passion for years driven by a fascination for form and function he has little time for modern games patience and skill are the chief virtues in his [Music] world like the disc throwing game the tower of hanoi or cue stick billiards from the 17th [Music] century his companions share his passion the historical games give pleasure to both children and the young at heart their motto one is never too old for a good game in good company [Music] southeast of turin the castello di pralomo home to the nobility as in days gone by the dibaraudo di pralormo family they emigrated here from france in the 17th century with the court of the french princess maria giovanna dinamore the family also has a pope to its name alexander vii her ancestors served four kings today it is her turn to serve the castle and tradition blue red are still the colors of the servant's livery [Music] the contessa loves nature and fine arts a glimpse of traditions that have all but vanished such as bandera embroidery the princess dinamore introduced this art to the savoy court in the 17th century later on in times of crisis embroidery was used by nobles as an ornate substitute for expensive silk fabrics back then it decorated walls upholstered furniture and served as a dowry for daughters wishing to marry new life breathe into an old tradition the contessa indulges her musical passions with her auto piano imported directly from america in 1902 since then her family have collected over 100 piano rolls mainly operas [Music] [Music] [Music] one the art of the banquet 160 years ago italy's great political figures gathered around this table eighteen servants tended to the guests and host ever present the family colors this viennese porcelain is also adorned with the blue red family crest and in line with noble fashions the language of the menu was french the lady of the castle still uses the kitchen that was built centuries ago she is also a passionate cook and cherishes the recipes handed down from her great grandmother such as the dolce maringata a dessert from 1860 for an italian contessa tradition is also an affair of the palette queen the piedmontese region langer rich in castles and palaces once populated by dark knights today home to award-winning chefs like those in castelo di veduno this region is home to a special delicacy the white truffle also known as the king of truffles at its center lies the village of roddy named after the castle from the 12th century castelo di rodi once belonged to the savoy dynasty today its temporary residents are of the canine variety castle houses the truffle dog university giovanni monkeyero is a truffle hunter and master trainer he is the fourth generation to school these rare truffle dogs they are the world's only four-legged animals to obtain this qualification [Music] [Music] [Music] the search for truffles follows age-old traditions using a lantern a small pickaxe the traditional wooden staff and the truffle dog female dogs are best suited to this job and must be under 8 months old training is based on a system of rewards the dogs practice with a cloth that smells of truffles and then move on to the real thing not every candidate has a nose for these fungi making truffle dogs a precious commodity foreign foreign [Music] [Music] no successful truffle hunt goes without a proper reward for the dog and her master [Music] in the shade of a unique cedar tree [Music] its branches have been winding skyward for over 160 years planted to celebrate the marriage of two nobles and their love of piedmont [Music] it is the season of the black summer truffle mama monkey is in charge of preparing them for consumption foreign the truffle has reached its final destination mixed with butter or as antipasto in olive oil and anchovy fillets [Music] a majestic delicacy that would remain hidden underground without the trained nose of the truffle dog [Music] the langa region is to italy what the bordeaux or burgundy regions are to france nestled in the barolo vineyards is the castello di faletti the birthplace of the king of wines a french marchesa wrote wine history here this man is the heir and grand senor of barolo ernesto [Music] the history of this noble grape has its origins in his wine cellar his family has dedicated itself to upholding the noble wine tradition since 1929 the barolo is viewed as one of italy's finest wines that comes at a price for over 150 years it has been a permanent feature on luxury cruise liners and in gourmet restaurants letters of thanks from royals all over the world testified to its quality and reputation [Music] this woman invented barolo taking a sweet wine and transforming it into the king of wines with wine barrels and enologists from france following french methods she even won over the king of savoy with a gift of 325 barrels she thus helped raise its status from the king of wines to the wine of kings requesting [Music] franza [Music] today other red wine varieties are stored in concrete fats to protect them from the summer heat dark whine stone glistens inside every 12 months it rains down from inside the vats creating another 350 liters of liquid capacity per container today's waste once earned the winemaker hard cash it was sold as dye or added to gunpowder ernesto aborna is also a passionate fan of sparkling moscato chilled in steel tanks his first encounter was however with another sweet wine is foreign barrel for barrel barolo is ernesto aborna's great passion in life this exclusive wine made from the naviolo grape has won him of following the world over he is always on the lookout for new wine lovers who share his enthusiasm [Music] [Music] albino [Music] the former summer residence of the savoy king of sardinia the savoy royal court indulged its hunting passions not far from here at stubenichi castle this bronze stag was once a glistening gold looking down from the rooftop as the 800 strong court roamed the nearby forests in search of game the interior of the ballroom allegorical images of royal pleasures from past times [Music] paintings of exotic animals stubenichi castle had a zoo as far back as the 19th century populated by animals donated by visiting diplomats and kings from across the world the most famous attraction the indian elephant fritz on his arrival the savoy king even had a portrait produced by the court painter he also had his image preserved for posterity on the newly invented camera [Music] he lived at court for 25 years when his keeper of many years died he became aggressive already in financial straits the king decided fritz's time was up on the 8th of november 1852 the elephant died from carbon monoxide poisoning on this day the entire zoo shut its doors forever all that remains today are his skin and bones [Music] the savoy dynasty started hunting with birds of prey in the 13th century using falcons owls and eagles [Music] they have been part of giovanni paona's life since he was a small boy his grandfather hunted with these feathery predators back then he would take them from the wild train them for just one season and then set them free giovanni has followed in his footsteps he however develops a lasting bond with his birds and training falcons was banned over 30 years ago the birds of prey now are bred in captivity and imported from england or germany falconry is an art mastered by very few giovanni paona's motto a good falconer does not go home until he has won the trust of his bird and has it eating out of his hand the best ultra giovanni's birds of prey keep watch at turin airport making sure the airport grounds are free of birds [Music] story [Music] [Music] [Music] roca di cavor a monadnock at the heart of the piedmontese countryside [Music] the kotian alps forming a natural green border to france the chizzone river running through the chisorni valley like a wartime necropolis the fortezza de fenestrella also known as the great wall of piedmont it was built over 122 years by four different savoy monarchs constructed by 4 000 workers some 300 years ago the fortress was never besieged nor was it the scene of bloody battles it could have housed 6 000 soldiers in times of war a single ray of light at the gloomy fortress the church in military baroque style [Music] 180 cannons were positioned on the sconces a piedmont bastion against the french in the 18th century the forte was also used as a state prison winter lasts 10 months here and claimed many lives [Music] the alpini a subdivision of the military were also stationed at this castle fortress each day the soldiers had to negotiate an altitude difference of 700 meters the mighty barrier of rock and masonry stretches for three kilometers along the mountain ridge [Music] this involved climbing some 4 000 steps [Music] today the alpini are the oldest active mountain infantry in the world their trademark an eagle feather in their felt hats stefano cariola wears his alpini hat with pride none a penis foreign it is not only the mountains that create this lifelong bond it is values such as team spirit friendship solidarity tolerance and readiness to help others a fraternity that shares a common past present and future the alpini are renowned for their songs traditional songs about war death loyalty and betrayal today they are famous the world over for one song in particular the song of the mountains which was however written for a mountaineers choir and not for the alpini [Music] oh [Music] oh [Music]

Channel: Real Royalty

Views: 32,813

Keywords: real royalty, real royalty channel, british royalty, royalty around the world, royal history, reggia di venaria, italy, turin, duke of savoy, royal house of savoy, world heritage

Id: IG8uGAPQ91Y

Length: 51min 32sec (3092 seconds)

Published: Fri Aug 06 2021