Scuderie Juvarriane

The Scuderie Juvarriane at Venaria Reale give the practical needs of a royal court a monumental architectural form. Designed by Filippo Juvarra in the 1720s, the Scuderia Grande and neighbouring Citroniera belong to the great expansion of the Savoy residence.

Why it matters

Horses and citrus plants each required substantial accommodation within the royal estate. Juvarra brought these functions together in a single immense building: stables to the north, and the Citroniera, used to shelter plants, to the south. The scale and ordered geometry show how even service buildings contributed to the court's architectural image.

What to notice

The long vaulted interiors and the shared external mass are the defining features. The Citroniera extends for about 148 metres, with large south-facing windows designed to admit winter light and warmth. A dividing wall separates it from the narrower stable gallery. Above the two halls, later accommodation for pages added another layer to this substantial service complex.

Context and history

The building formed part of Juvarra's enlargement of Venaria for Vittorio Amedeo II. Military use in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries was followed by severe deterioration. Conservation work on the roof in 1983 helped protect the structure from further damage, and subsequent restoration recovered the interiors for cultural use. The restored Scuderia Grande opened with a design exhibition in April 2008, marking a new chapter in the history of the former royal service buildings.