In the heart of the Roero area, in one of its best preserved towns, is one of the most beautiful manor homes in Piemonte, the Castello (Castle) di Guarene. It was built in 1726 by Count Carlo Giacinto Roero, a leading figure in Piemonte society during the first half of the 18th century and a man of great culture and humanity, to take the place of a more ancient 13th century castle. Today, it is the property of the counts Provana di Collegno, who inherited it from the last of the Roero family, but is open to the public for exhibits and special events. The castle, built respecting Juvarra-inspired designs, is a very elegant, majestic structure. Inside the castle, the various rooms are sumptuous and richly furnished with period furniture and objects. Two gardens complete the property. The first one, created where there was once a riding school, is a formal garden designed following the fashion of a “garden labyrinth”; the second one, in front of the palazzo’s rear entrance, is a classic example of an Italian-style garden. It was designed by Carlo Giacinto Roero himself, who nurtured a great passion and interest for gardening and who, in order to create his project, asked the gardener from the castle at Govone, Xavier Kunter, to help him.
