THE FIGHTING AROUND THE CASTE OF LUCENTO AT THE BATTLE OF TURIN
The Castle of Lucento was located at the center of the French sistem of defence of the French trenches around the town of Turin, during its siege; this Castel was ancient Ducal Estate, used for hunting activities.
My aim is to rebuild this castle, from the images of the past and from google maps, and remake the final fighting around this castle, strongly held by the French till the end of the battle.
I think this is a quite challenging aim.
My aim is to rebuild this castle, from the images of the past and from google maps, and remake the final fighting around this castle, strongly held by the French till the end of the battle.
I think this is a quite challenging aim.
Map of the Castle of Lucendo - end XVIII Century
Here above: from Google Maps the current position of the Castle of Lucento in the Town of Turin nowadays.
Map of the Battle of Turin with evidence of the Castle of Lucento. In the map it is quite simple to understand the importance of the Castle for the French.
(Courtesy Michele L. SAVASTA FIORE TARNOWSKI)
(Courtesy Michele L. SAVASTA FIORE TARNOWSKI)
Once determined the importance of the Castle of Lucento for the French array, it is also important to understand how was in the details the Castle. To solve this problem I used the map above, indicating the parts that were present at the epoch of battle, indicating which part was the real castle, which the farms, which the Church.
Here above I put the image that permits to have the best idea of what was and where it was the Castle of Lucento. It was told that it has a main body - directly on the River (Dora Riparia) with some farms behind.
1) Castle of Lucento
2) Farms
3) Church
At the final stage of the Battle of Turin, the French - trenchered in the castle - did a bold defence of the stronghold. The fighting rose its maximum in the space between the Castle and the Church (so between 1 and 3)
This is a map of the Castle of Lucento back in 1750 with closer view than the previous map, but the building match.
There is a U-shape building (still excisting nowadays) that was a side-buildig to the castle (on the left N° 2) and the main part (N° 1), while with N° 3 are indicated the farms.
From the shape of the present Castle is possible also to understant that the building under N° 1 was a rectangular building (as in the previous picture)
There is a U-shape building (still excisting nowadays) that was a side-buildig to the castle (on the left N° 2) and the main part (N° 1), while with N° 3 are indicated the farms.
From the shape of the present Castle is possible also to understant that the building under N° 1 was a rectangular building (as in the previous picture)
Here eabove a picture of the Castle of Lucento between XIX and XX Century. I put in evidence with numbers and colours the parts I drew in the previous picture. From this picture is easy to understand how this caste represented a serious stronghold, being defended by the river; the view is taken from east watching towards west. The river was on the back; the Allied army attacked from the plane (see green arrows N° 4). This means that the French had to install the defences of the Castle towards west, without the protection of the river and without using the 2 buildings (N° 1 and 2) as a stronghold. At the contrary they had to reinforce the western front (see the black line), making a defensive line. It is also true that this part of the Castle defended the French from the potential attacks of the Piedmontese garrisons of Turin (Regiments Guardie and Monferrato, 4 battalions in total)
This picture also shows that tha Castle was in reality built up on two different main bodies and some farms behind, as in the maps above; towards the river it was protected by a wll that continued also on the northern side.
This picture also shows that tha Castle was in reality built up on two different main bodies and some farms behind, as in the maps above; towards the river it was protected by a wll that continued also on the northern side.
Here above a picture of the Castle (its old part) as it is today. Where I put a red cross with a "NO" sign means that this is a new part that was built later. I also pointed out with a black line the shape of the walls (towards the river) that defended at the epoch the castle.
Here above by courrtesy of Michele Savasta Fiore for the this map of the zone of the Castel of Lucento where the final fight took place.
Above: (Courtesy of Michele Savasta Fiore): the Castle of Lucento with the bridges and fortifications . The main purpouse of the Castle was to defend the bridges on the Dora Riparia river. This passage (oringinally there was just 1 bridge but the French at the beginning of the siege managed to add a new one to increase the number s) was particularly important because put together to salients of the plane: on the left part of the map the Countervallation and defensive position and on the right part the salient where the siege agains the Citadel of Turin took place.
1 Castle of Lucento
2 Farm
3 Big Farms and fields
4) Church
5) Spinning wheel building
6) Farm "La Tana"
7) French Defence
8)&9) Terrain Ramparts
10) Bridges on the River Dora
11) Countevallation against the Town of Turin
12) Circumvallation
1 Castle of Lucento
2 Farm
3 Big Farms and fields
4) Church
5) Spinning wheel building
6) Farm "La Tana"
7) French Defence
8)&9) Terrain Ramparts
10) Bridges on the River Dora
11) Countevallation against the Town of Turin
12) Circumvallation
Bottom: After a long work I was able to re-create the Castle, with the main body, the big farm (both still exsisting) and the little farm. In the center I placed 2 companies at 1:1 ratio with Ordonnance Colours of the Piedmontese Monferrato Regiment (one of the Regment that defended Turin during the siege.
