Villa della Regina
Well Preserved Renaissance Royal Palace in Italy

The Villa della Regina is a palace outside the city of Turin, Italy. It was built by the House of Savoy in the 17th century. The original building, known as the Vigno, was built for the Maurice of Savoy during the reign of his brother Victor Amadeus I, Duke of Savoy. The property was built as a private villa with its own vineyard. In 1684 it passed to Anne Marie d'Orléans, niece of Louis XIV of France, and wife of Victor Amadeus II, Duke of Savoy. She used the Vigno when she could. Most of the present décor dates from her lifetime. Her husband was the King of Sicily from 1713 till 1720. From then on, the building was known as Villa della Regina, "Villa of the Queen". Anne Marie's eldest daughter Maria Adelaide came here and tried to recreate it at Versailles at the Menagerie. It remained the property of the House of Savoy till 1868 when it was donated by Victor Emmanuel II of Italy to the Institute of the Army's Daughters and in 1994 it was given to the State. Today it is today open to the public.

Unesco World Heritage Site

Unesco name of World Heritage site: Residences of the Royal House of Savoy (added in 1997)

Justification for Inscription: The Committee decided to inscribe this property on the basis of criteria (i), (ii), (iv) and (v), considering that the Residences of the Royal House of Savoy in and around Turin represent a comprehensive overview of European monumental architecture in the 17th and 18th centuries, using style, dimensions, and space to illustrate in an exceptional way the prevailing doctrine of absolute monarchy in material terms.