Villar Perosa, located at the feet of the Alps just north of Turin, dates back to the early 1700s, when it was first conceived as a royal hunting lodge; within a century, it came under the ownership of the Agnelli family. Since that time, succeeding generations of Agnelli matriarchs have shaped the surrounding grounds, marking them with their own distinctive personality. Most notable has been Marella Agnelli, who, since her marriage in 1953 to Giovanni Agnelli, has dedicated herself to transforming the gardens. Her decision in 1955 to commission famed English landscape and garden designer Russell Page in this enterprise has resulted in the showcase gardens that today comprise Villar Perosa. The Agnelli Gardens at Villar Perosa is an in-depth look at this stupendous villa and surrounding gardens.