Palazzo Crova – Palazzo del Gusto (Nizza Monferrato)

Palazzo Crova, also known as Palazzo del Gusto, is an eighteenth-century residence in Nizza Monferrato. Its decorated halls and portico preserve the character of a noble house, while its present cultural role connects the building with the food and wine traditions of the surrounding landscape.

Why it matters

Built for the barons Crova of Vaglio, the palace preserves the architecture of an eighteenth-century noble residence. Its decorated rooms and portico now form part of Palazzo del Gusto, a cultural setting for the food and wine heritage of Nizza Monferrato and the UNESCO-listed vineyard landscape.

What to notice

The palace’s historic rooms retain stucco and fresco decoration, stone staircases and coffered ceilings. A frieze of vegetal and human figures on the north side differs in style from the principal interiors. The east façade’s portico is supported by ten pillars. These architectural elements preserve the residence’s layered history even as the building serves civic and cultural uses.

Context and history

Palazzo Crova was built in the eighteenth century for the barons Crova of Vaglio, probably on the site of an earlier castle. Filippo Giovanni Battista Nicolis di Robilant has been associated with its design or remodelling, though the attribution is not definitive. After its period as a noble residence, the palace passed to public and cultural uses. Its current role as Palazzo del Gusto links the building to the agricultural and culinary traditions of Nizza Monferrato, part of the Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont recognized by UNESCO in 2014.