Castello di Miradolo, Gothic Revival castle in San Secondo di Pinerolo, Italy.
Castello di Miradolo is a three-story Gothic Revival villa in San Secondo di Pinerolo, Piedmont, built on a pre-existing farmhouse and remodelled in 1866. Its plan has longitudinal wings with two turrets, one large and square, one smaller and cylindrical. Triangular pinnacles and the heraldic symbols of the Cacherano di Bricherasio and Massel di Caresana families alternate above the pointed-arch windows, and a conservatory with tall pointed windows runs along the south-western facade.
The original building dates to the 15th century as a country property of the Massel marquises of Caresana. In 1866 Marquis Maurizio Massel had it enlarged and redesigned in Gothic Revival style, and it passed as a dowry to his daughter Teresa on her marriage to Count Luigi Cacherano di Bricherasio. Their children Sofia and Emanuele made Miradolo a cultural salon; after Sofia's death in 1950 it went to the Piccola Opera della Divina Provvidenza, and since 2007 it belongs to the Fondazione Cosso.
The castle hosts art exhibitions and concerts that take place throughout the year, drawing visitors from across the region. Walking through the rooms, you can see contemporary works displayed alongside the original architectural details of the building.
The castle stands at the gateway to Val Chisone and is easy to reach from Turin, as the road runs through flat terrain. Once inside, a cafe with outdoor seating in the courtyard offers a good place to stop after visiting the rooms.
Among the trees growing in the castle grounds, there is a Lebanon cedar and a giant sequoia, two species rarely seen in this part of Italy. This unusual planting reflects the tastes of the family who redesigned the property in the 19th century.
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