AN 18TH-CENTURY PEARL IN THE HILLS OF TURIN WHICH IS AVAILABLE FOR CULTURAL AND CORPORATE EVENTS, CONFERENCES, RECEPTIONS AND WEDDINGS

HISTORICAL VILLA IN THE HILLS OF CHIERI

Villa Luigina, a historical gem nestled in the hills of Piedmont, is a true treasure that was originally built as a holiday home and hunting lodge for the Tana di Santena family from Chieri. Reconstructed in 1737 by the Jesuits of the ‘Collegio’ institution in Chieri, it was named after San Luigi Gonzaga, the son of Marta Tana di Santena and Ferrante Gonzaga of Castiglione delle Stiviere. The Villa is situated in a panoramic position on the Chieri hills, which poet and philosopher Torquato Tasso compared to those of Siena.

THE HISTORY OF VILLA LUIGINA

The earliest records of the Villa date back to 1586, when Ercole Tana di Chieri of the Lords of Santena declared his ownership, among his many properties, of a building in Chieri in the area near to Moglia. The property appears to have belonged to the noble branch of the Tana family throughout the 17th century. In 1689, Count Maurizio Amedeo Tana di Santena married French Marchioness Jeanne de Montboissier-Beaufort-Canillac and moved to France to serve in the army of Louis XIV. This act was interpreted as treason by Duke Vittorio Amedeo II, who subsequently decided to punish the Count by expropriating his properties, including ‘the residence and farmstead near Chieri’ on 23 September 1694, and ‘the Palazzo in the city of Chieri’ on 9 October 1694.

A period of probable abandonment followed until 1735, when Carlo Alessandro Broglia de Gribaldenghi and Giuseppe Maria Taricco, both Jesuits from the College of Chieri, purchased the ruins. The Villa was reconstructed in 1737 by master builders from Lugano, the floor plans of which are preserved in the Historical Archives of Turin among the documents of Architect Mario Ludovico Quarini. The presence of such documentation, together with the commissioning of master builders active on other construction sites, would reasonably suggest that Bernardo Vittone was the chief architect and designer.

After the suppression of the Society of Jesus during the Napoleonic period, the Villa was then sold to private families, including the Mestiatis of Graglia, Cavalier Antonio Porporati, the Galleani sisters of Canelli and Countess Ceppi of Bajrols. The Villa was repurchased by the Jesuits in 1886. As Alessandro Monti recalled in his book on the history of the Jesuits: "In 1886, the acquisition of the historic villa known as La Luigina was successfully completed, situated in a beautiful location in the surrounding hills of Chieri, shaded by trees and delicately adorned with greenery and flowers..."

Major restoration work was carried out between 1936 and 1938. The Jesuits departed definitively from the Villa in 1972.

THE RESTORATION OF VILLA LUIGINA

After being abandoned for a period of time, the Villa was acquired by the current owners' mother, who oversaw its complete restoration and valorisation. Recently, the Villa Luigina complex was declared to be of significant artistic and historical interest by the Regional Secretary of the Ministry of Culture for Piedmont and the President of the Regional Commission for Cultural Heritage in the Piedmont region.

FACILITIES AND SERVICES: WEDDINGS AND PRIVATE EVENTS NEAR TURIN

Villa Luigina is a beautiful venue near Turin which is available for cultural and corporate events, conferences, receptions and weddings.