Silence by the mountains

Reggia di Valcasotto, a castle in Italy, was first built as a monastery in the 11th century. For centuries, it was home to the Certosini order until it was disbanded in 1803. After being occupied by Napoleon's troops, the reggia became a royal residence. For a time, it was the summer home of Carlo Alberto, and later Vittorio Emanuele II. Today it belongs to the Region of Piedmont and is open to the public. Visitors can tour the north wing, the royal chapel, the tower bell, the archeological area with the ruins of the old church and convent, and the garessino castle, part of the 'Castelli Aperti' circuit in the lower Piedmont.

For one queen, however, it became a sanctuary. Clotilde, the wife of Vittorio Emanuele II, spent her summers at the reggia. She was a devout and religious woman who preferred silence to the noise of court life. She would hike the trails that ran through the woods, and listen to the birds. She sat beneath the trees and prayed. Her children, Vittorio Napoleone, Luigi and Maria Letizia, were brought to her sometimes, but she kept her faith private, even as a queen.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons