Amedeo Cognengo di Castellamonte (1618 – 17 September 1683) was an Italian architect, civil and military engineer.

Biography

He was born in Castellamonte (in what is now the

province of Turin The former Province of Turin ( it, Provincia di Torino; pms, Provinsa ëd Turin; french: Province de Turin) was a province in the Piedmont region of Italy. Its capital was the city of Turin. The province existed until 31 December 2014, when it wa ...

, then in the

Duchy of Savoy The Duchy of Savoy ( it, Ducato di Savoia; french: Duché de Savoie) was a country in Western Europe that existed from 1416. It was created when Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor, raised the County of Savoy into a duchy for Amadeus VIII. The du ...

). His father Carlo became chief architect of Duke Charles Emmanuel I of Savoy in 1615. After graduating in law in the

University of Turin The University of Turin ( Italian: ''Università degli Studi di Torino'', UNITO) is a public research university in the city of Turin, in the Piedmont region of Italy. It is one of the oldest universities in Europe and continues to play an imp ...

and continuing his studies in

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus ( legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

, Amedeo begun to work alongside his father, whose works later he continued thanks to his significant talent in

urban planning Urban planning, also known as town planning, city planning, regional planning, or rural planning, is a technical and political process that is focused on the development and design of land use and the built environment, including air, water ...

and architecture. In 1646 he continued works at the Ducal (now Royal) Palace in

Turin Turin ( , Piedmontese: ; it, Torino ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in Northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. Th ...

, finishing (1658) the facade and the central body flanked by two raised ones, and the relative connection with the castle square. Later Amedeo was commissioned to create a new plan of for the city's expansions, after the one led by his father in 1620. As in the latter's, he kept the original Roman's centuriation, but also kept the oblique course of the "Borgo Po" (modern Via Po) leading to the then only existing bridge on the

Po River The Po ( , ; la, Padus or ; Ancient Ligurian: or ) is the longest river in Italy. It flows eastward across northern Italy starting from the Cottian Alps. The river's length is either or , if the Maira, a right bank tributary, is included. Th ...

Chieri Chieri (; pms, Cher) is a town and '' comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Turin, Piedmont ( Italy), located about southeast of Turin, by rail and by road. It borders the following municipalities: Baldissero Torinese, Pavarolo, Montaldo ...

. In the same streets, he added porticoes and terraces forming an uninterrupted, 1,250 m-long path from the Royal Palace to the Po. The new street was opened in 1674. He also designed the Piazza Carlo Emanuele II, connected to Via Po by a new street, what is now Via Accademia Albertina. However, as works dragged on most of Castellamonte's designs were not followed exactly, like in the Piazza Carlo Emanuele II which did not receive an octagonal plan as in his design. Castellamonte was also entrusted the works of the

Reggia di Venaria The Palace of Venaria (Italian: Reggia di Venaria Reale) is a former royal residence and gardens located in Venaria Reale, near Turin in the Piedmont region in northern Italy. It is one of the Residences of the Royal House of Savoy, included in t ...

(Charles Emmanuel's II new large hunting residence, begun in 1658) and the ''Cavallerizza Reale'' (Royal Stables), built from the late 17th century and continued, among the others, by

Filippo Juvarra Filippo is an Italian male given name, which is the equivalent of the English name Philip, from the Greek ''Philippos'', meaning "amante dei cavalli".''Behind the Name''"Given Name Philip" Retrieved on 23 January 2016. The female variant is F ...

and

Benedetto Alfieri 180px, Benedetto Alfieri from the treatise of "Leben des Vittorio Alfieri" Benedetto Innocenzo Alfieri (8 June 1699 - 9 December 1767) was an Italian architect, a representative of the late- Baroque or Rococo style. Biography and works Born in ...

. He also continued and completed his father's works at the Castello del Valentino and intervened in the churches of San Salvario and San Francesco di Paola, the

Castle of Rivoli The Castle of Rivoli is a former Residence of the Royal House of Savoy in Rivoli ( Metropolitan City of Turin, Italy). It is currently home to the Castello di Rivoli – Museo d'Arte Contemporanea, the museum of contemporary art of Turin. In 19 ...

and (according to some sources) the Villa della Regina. In 1646 he designed the church of Sant'Elena at

Villafranca d'Asti Villafranca d'Asti is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Asti in the Italian region Piedmont, located about southeast of Turin and about west of Asti. The town was founded by the commune of Asti in 1275. It is home to the church of ...

followed in 1654 by the church of Santi Bernardino e Brigida at Lucenta and, finally, the Chapel of the

Shroud Shroud usually refers to an item, such as a cloth, that covers or protects some other object. The term is most often used in reference to ''burial sheets'', mound shroud, grave clothes, winding-cloths or winding-sheets, such as the famous Shr ...

in Turin, which later was totally modified by

Guarino Guarini Camillo Guarino Guarini (17 January 1624 – 6 March 1683) was an Italian architect of the Piedmontese Baroque, active in Turin as well as Sicily, France, and Portugal. He was a Theatine priest, mathematician, and writer.. Biography Guarini wa ...

. He also built numerous fortifications and stage-settings for court celebrations, and worked in private noble palaces such as Palazzo Lascaris. He did various works for Princess Luisa Cristina of Savoy, sister of Charles Emmanuel II.

References

External links

Biography at Venaria Palace website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Castellamonte, Amedeo 1610 births 1683 deaths People from Castellamonte 17th-century Italian painters Italian male painters Architects from Turin Italian military engineers 17th-century Italian architects