#noveparole. 5 - Infinity

At a certain point on this journey into a world of different styles, eras, rooms, halls and stories, after a series of information and surprises, all of a sudden you have the unexpected sensation that inside this Palace is the gateway to infinity...

It is not just a question of space. It is also about time, wonder and silence. There is something almost cosmic, luminous, that demands quiet.

You feel as though you are contemplating the universe, but not as you see it in satellite pictures or at the cinema; this is not 2001 A Space Odyssey where all is dark, black and empty. This is bright and full, of air and light. Lightness, in fact.

This is the effect of the Great Gallery, designed by Filippo Juvarra with an endless series of columns, marble, diamond shake, stuccos, large windows and dazzling whiteness. It gives a palpable sense of celebration, splendour, playfulness and joy with all the power of a contemporary art installation.

It gives an idea of rarefaction and levity, that has something to do with the soul, perhaps.

You can learn and reel off all the statistics about the Venaria: the Palace covers 118,000 m2 and contains 196,000 m2 of stuccos and plasterwork with 35,000 m2 of façades and 1,600 m2 of frescoes. The visitor itinerary is 2 km long, and the Gardens cover 80 hectares. The numbers say something about this place, it is true, but by the time you leave the Reggia, you will have learned its real secret: it is a place of infinity.