The Castle of Marene is not actually a real castle, but rather a villa. Its true name is Villa Grosso di Grana, named after the family that had it built between 1850 and 1854, and it has been uninhabited and abandoned for over fifty years. Count Carlo Amedeo Grosso was the one who wanted this particular construction, one of the few examples of neo-Gothic architecture in Piedmont. Its design was entrusted to Luigi Formento, the author of the Waldensian temple and the church of San Secondo in Turin. It was built in record time, less than 5 years; its neo-Gothic style features hybrid architectural elements, blending medieval and Gothic elements. In 1904, it became the residence of Count Vittorio Solaro di Monasterolo, who sold it in 1920 to Giuseppe Davico, owner of an important chain of luxury hotels in Italy and France. After various ups and downs, it passed to a company, which then went bankrupt, considering that the condominium expenses were certainly not insignificant.
In 2013, the interiors were chosen as a location for the TV miniseries “La Bella e la Bestia,” starring Alessandro Preziosi and Bianca Suarez: the scene filmed involved a fire. The property extends over three floors for 1087 square meters, with six bedrooms, 25 rooms including some reception halls, and a park of three thousand square meters. The news is that the Castle of Marene, on its fourth attempt, was sold at auction for the paltry sum of 650 thousand euros. Isn’t it ironic, the amount is truly paltry when we consider the intrinsic value of the Villa, of course, there are many considerations to be made and, above all, restoring it to its former glory will not be a simple task.
Photo Courtesy: SAMUELE SILVA
