Regina Margherita at the Villa R

Regina Margherita at the Villa Reale, Monza

This show, which opened on 19 September, enables the public to see rooms on the first floor (“piano nobile”) of Villa Reale in Monza for the first time. The rooms have been restored, and some of the furnishings have been recovered from various locations in the country, such as the Quirinale collections in Rome. It is an interesting opportunity to see how the aristocracy lived in late 19^th century Italy, in the context of a Villa, itself set within a large park (it is in fact the largest walled park in Europe). Other exhibits include the “Margherita” magazines that were published at the time, and other such media. There are also extensive guided visit services, that include itineraries in the Monza Park and the city. There are miniature train rides, carriage rides, the Caffè Reale at the Villa, and a bookshop.

The event is dedicated to Queen Margherita and her role in Monza and at the Villa in the late 19th-early 20^th century, reflecting aspects of the country's newly-conquered unity. The Villa was actually a gift from Italian king Vittorio Emanuele II to his son Umberto, heir to the throne, and his wife Margherita di Savoia. Margherita created a circle of intellectuals and artists at the villa, and she personally directed the interior decoration, tableware and even menus. Her personality was such that she created a strong bond with the population, notwithstanding the many tragic episodes that hallmarked her life. In fact the villa's history as an important location in Italian society ran from 1862 to 1900, when Umberto was shot and killed by an anarchist in Monza.

You can find a reference to the Queen on all pizzeria menus: the Pizza Margherita was invented in the late 19th century as a tribute to her, with its green-white-red colours (basil, mozzarella, tomato) echoing those of the Italian flag.

The show runs until January 2012, open Tues-Sun, 10.00-20.30, closed on Mon. Info: 039 2308 970, 02 2901 0404. Admission euro 15, concessions euro 12.

• M1 Sesto FS + bus Z221 until Regina Margherita - Sacconi