Remains of Mirafiori Castel
and Mirafiori Parc
Turin
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
The Castle of Mirafiori was a ducal residence begun at the end of the 16th century. Historically also known as Miraflores or Millefiori, it owed its name to the beauty of its gardens. It was an important residential complex located near the Sangone River, in what is now the Mirafiori Sud district of Turin.
Few traces remain today, but for several centuries it experienced moments of great magnificence. At the end of the 19th century, it was first abandoned and then demolished. Nevertheless, the area and the surrounding park still keep its name.
THIS PLACE IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE
A unique and highly valued aspect of Mirafiori residence complex was its extensive park and gardens. Great care was devoted to their design, with numerous interventions between the late 16th and 17th centuries—including some aimed at changing the flow of the Sangone River, in order to create additional space.
Thanks to iconographic and written sources, we can still get a sense of the gardens’ beauty and the marvellous variety of flowers, trees, and plants they once contained.