Collezione del Governatore

The Governor's Collection at Fenestrelle Fort is a natural-history display of more than 300 taxidermied animals in the Palazzo del Governatore.

Why it matters

The collection offers a contrast to the fortress's military history, using the governor's former residence to present a wide range of animal species.

What to notice

The rooms display taxidermied animals from a range of species, with labels identifying individual specimens. Their setting in the fortress's command residence combines natural-history interpretation with military architecture.

Context and history

The Savoy state built the Fenestrelle fortress complex between 1728 and 1850 to control the Chisone Valley. After the military abandoned it, the Associazione Progetto San Carlo Onlus began restoration work in 1990. The animal collection was later installed in the Palazzo del Governatore as one of the fortress's museum displays.