TURIN - PARCO DEL VALENTINO
The origin of the name is not precisely known: some hypothesize both of Roman origin, others that originated from the presence in ancient times of a chapel dedicated to St. Valentine.
The initial nucleus of the Park draws its origins from the Castello del Valentino which took its name from the Park. Begun in the 16th century, but only in XIX began the works that later on shaped the actual Park (romantic project by the French landscape architect Barrillet-Dechamps).
For the Italian General Exhibition (1884) the so-called medieval village was built (reconstruction of a complete foreshortening of the main stylistic and architectural features of the Piedmontese works and of the Val d'Aosta of the Middle Ages including a visitable Rocca).
There is also the Ceppi fountain (898), known as the "Twelve Months", a large rococo basin surrounded by statues representing the twelve months of the year.
In recent years the Park has been strongly redeveloped and has become a vital center of city life and in particular sports.