VISIT PATHS
Every castle has its wonders
“Cold blows of energy that do not correspond to drafts of air from closed windows.
‘Presences’ that reveal themselves with crunches, thuds, sounds, visions, that are not coming from the decline of the environment or the voracity of rodents.
Centuries of life that struggle to forget us.
Centuries of life we are not willing to forget…”
Path 1 – “Between Culture and Nature”
A free-roaming, guideless path immersed in the lush nature of the Park, and in the oldest traditions of our agricultural estate.
This itinerary includes: the Biologic Park, the Ancient Crafts Museum, the Roots Pavillion, the Hall of Carriages and Ancient Stables, Count NiccolòCalvi di Bergolo’s atelier, and the Historic Cellars.
Biologic park
It extends with an area of 20 hectares where over two hundred types of trees and the typical wild animals find an environmentally friendly.
Ancient crafts museum
It consists of thousands of tools and utensils that were used to manufacture everyday objects and to work in the fields.
Roots pavillion
The collection, created from Doctor Giuseppe Orsini and Niccolò Calvi di Bergolo, leaves the visitor amazed in observing the curious and surprising shapes that these natural sculptures offer.
Hall of carriages and Ancient stables
The ancient shelter for carriages, buggies, chariots and horses today is a multifunctional exhibition space.
Count Niccolò Calvi di Bergolo’s atelier
An ancient barn transformed into an artistic space where the Count creates his art and leads his workshops.
Historic cellars
The ancient prisons in ‘700 were transformed into industrious cellars where the Wine of Piovera was aged.
Path 2 – “Time Travel”
A free-roaming guideless path to experience at your ownpace, starting from the Castle’s ground floor, an area dedicated to the ancient agricultural estate, and that stretches across the various Collections sprawled over the first and second floors of the mansion. The Piovera Castle is incharge of guarding the history and memory of this territory. As such, it has, across centuries, transformed into a grand “treasure chest” containing precious valuables. Be it objects left by the Balbi Marquises, or collected by the Calvi di Bergolo family (the current owners), you will be positively catapulted into the depths of a journey though the infinite creative worlds of Mother Nature and mankind, from fossils to the recent boundaries of contemporary art. Between its walls, the mansion holds a portal towards other chronological dimensions: come to open its gates, and discover what changed the world and humanity forever.
This second path automatically includes free access to the first path’s areas:the Historic Cellars, the Biologic Park, the Ancient Crafts Museum, the Roots Pavillion, the Hall of Carriages and Ancient Stables, and Count Niccolò Calvi di Bergolo’s atelier.
Path 3 – “Tell me about the Castle”
This path includes a tour, guided by our staff, granting you the opportunity to discover the Castle’s history through the ground floor and first floor (also referred to as the Noble Floor), ending with a panoramic climb of its tower: starting from the kitchens and the servants’ quarters, you will advance through the countless halls of the manor up to the refined bedrooms and the sumptuous guest reception halls. Amongst furnishings, decorations, objects, period costumes and many curiosities, you will personally live through the echo of great events and historical figures, from the Viscounts to Napoleon, whom all have intertwined here in Piovera across centuries of the daily life of ancient feudal lords and noble families,such as the Marquises Balbi of Genoa, and the Castle’s current owners, the Counts Calvi di Bergolo.
This third path automatically includes the contents of the previous two, meaning the right to visit all of the remaining internal and external areas free of guide, complete with both cultural and natural wonders of surprising richness: the Castle’s Collections on the first and second floor, the Historic Cellars, the Biologic Park, the Ancient Crafts Museum, the Roots Pavillion,the Hall of Carriages and Ancient Stables, and Count Niccolò Calvi di Bergolo’s atelier.