The exhibition "The Savoys. A Thousand Years of History and Power" opens on April 3 at Adelaide Castle - Civic Museum of the City of Susa. The exhibition, which will open to the public in 2026, is the first time the castle has been open to the public in Italy. The exhibition, open until May 24, presents the collection of Savoie.live, an association based in Annecy that has long preserved and promoted a heritage of great historical significance linked to the Savoy dynasty.
It all began with a marriage: that of Adelaide, Countess of Turin and Lady of Susa, and Oddone of Savoy. A union that opened the doors of Europe to the House of Savoy and forever marked the history of this region. From that moment, in the 11th century, the castle named after Adelaide became the natural starting point for the story of a dynasty that would rule the Alps for a thousand years. The temporary exhibition extends, deepens, and enriches this narrative through the permanent collection of the Susa Civic Museum, offering visitors a unified journey through local and European history.
Curated by Stefano Paschero and Claude Duffur, the exhibition is divided into six thematic sections that explore Savoy power in its most concrete and recognizable forms: cartography as a political instrument, dynastic legitimacy, law and state administration, military strength and the Risorgimento, religious devotion as a social identity, and culture as a living heritage. Among 17th- and 18th-century Dutch maps, medieval bronze seals, legal codes, sabers, illuminated books of hours, gold and silver Alpine crosses, portraits of sovereigns, and musical scores, the exhibition will feature over forty original documents and objects spanning eight centuries of European history. The exhibition continues in the museum's permanent rooms, where the collection tells the same story from the perspective of the region: from the figure of Adelaide of Susa to the remnants of Alpine fortifications, from the statue of Prince Eugene of Savoy-Carignano to the flag of the Risorgimento, the museum itself becomes an integral part of the exhibition.
"The Savoys. A Thousand Years of History and Power" is organized through a partnership agreement between the Susa Civic Museum, the Pro Loco di Susa APS, Savoie.live, Revejo, and Artemide, with the patronage of the City of Susa. The exhibition is part of the cultural program established by Regional Law 11/2018 as part of the Historical Tournament of the Villages of Susa, a ranked event for the three-year period 2025–2027.
The exhibition will open on Friday, April 3, 2026, at 5:00 PM. Representatives of the project partners will be present at the event. The exhibition is open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM, with a special opening on Monday, April 6, 2026 (Easter Monday) during the same hours. Admission is included in the castle ticket.
The Savoys. A Thousand Years of History and Power
Adelaide Castle — Civic Museum of the City of Susa
April 3 – May 24, 2026
Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Special opening: Monday, April 6, 2026
