Museum Leone

Thanks to the notary Camillo Leone’s (1830-1907) love of his land and passion for art, on 1910 was founded the Museum dedicated to him, a place keeping the history of Vercelli territory. Aged 40, Leone is the unique successor of a considerable patrimony which allows him to quite completely devote to the care and growth of his collection of antiques from the ancient times till ‘800. This collection reflects the notary’s mission: to preserve the historical memories of Vercelli and to reconstruct human history through documents and artifacts. The Museum consists of two houses: the 16th cent. Casa Alciati and the 18th cent. Palazzo Langosco, both connected by a building designed by the Architect Augusto Cavallari Murat for the exhibition “Vercelli e la sua provincial dalla Romanità al Fascismo” held in 1939, under the events organized for Mussolini’s visit in Vercelli. Among its halls, two are particularly spectacular: the Salone Romano and the Sala di S. Maria Maggiore. Casa Alciati houses marvellous frescoed rooms facing on an arcaded court and a spacious open gallery. Frescoes are attributed to the painter Eusebio Ferrari, working in Vercelli between end 15th cent. and beginning 16th cent. The real home of Camillo Leone was Palazzo Langosco, whose foyer, called “della Carrozza” hold the gala carriage of the Archibishop Carlo Filippa di Martiniana. From a huge, three flight staircase, you have access to the bel étage of Palazzo Langosco.