Hotel Torino - Turin Hotels
Discover the treasures of Turin: museums, residences, villas, and more ....
MUSEUMS
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF CINEMAOne hundred and sixty-seven metres high, the building that houses the museum (designed by Alessandro Antonelli) is situated in Turin's old town centre and presents the history of cinema in an exhibition area laid out over five levels and across a surface area of 3,200 m2. A lift passes through the centre of the museum and the cupola of the building, giving spectacular views of both the museum's displays and, once you get to the top, the entire city of Turin. Piedmont's regional capital is, in fact, the birthplace of Italian filmmaking, and the museum pays homage to this fact, cleverly taking advantage of the architectural characteristics of the Mole Antonelliana. The cupola hosts a tribute to "Cabiria", the first Italian epic, produced in Turin, naturally, and there are tributes to the first grandiose Torinese cinemas. There are eight theme sections that explain the origins of the moving picture and the various stages of film production. These sections also feature scripts, precious telegrams (including the one received by Fellini informing him of 8 e mezzo's Oscar nomination), scene costumes worn by the stars (some exhibits were worn by legends such as Marilyn Monroe, Charlie Chaplin and Rudolph Valentino) and even objects created for science fiction classics, such as an egg from Alien, and a mask from The Planet of the Apes.
Mole Antonelliana, via Montebello, 20 - 10124 Torino
011/8125658
www.museonazionaledelcinema.org/
THE EGYPTIAN MUSEUM
The Egyptian Museum in Turin houses one of the most important collections in the world, with splendid exhibits that tell the story of this fascinating and mysterious race. The exhibition covers three floors, and begins in the rooms on the recently prepared ground floor, dedicated to relics belonging to the earliest periods in Egyptian history. The semi-interred floor presents a series of exhibits unearthed during excavations carried out by Ernesto Schiaparelli in Gebelein, Asiut and Qwa-el-Kebir, including a collection of funeral items including sarcophagi and objects which were intended to accompany the deceased to the other world. Back on the ground floor, one can admire the splendid forms of the rock temple of Ellesjia, built in honour of the Pharaoh Thutmosis III and donated to Italy by Egypt in recognition of her role in salvaging the Nubia temples. The statuary has a wealth of valuable works including the magnificent Pharaoh Ramsese II. The exhibition continues on the first floor with a series of rooms dedicated to religious and funeral traditions, daily life, scriptures, the deity and paintings. Among the numerous exhibits, one can admire the relics found in the tomb of the architect Kha and his wife Merit.
Via Accademia delle Scienze, 6
011/535901- 011/535181
www.museoegizio.org
SAVOY GALLERY
The "Galleria Sabauda" is one of the most important art galleries in Italy, and was founded in 1832 at Palazzo Madama by Carlo Alberto. Here you can admire the collections originating from Palazzo Reale, Palazzo Carignano and also Palazzo Durazzo in Genoa. The gallery was handed over to the State in 1860 and in 1865 it was transferred to the second floor of the "Palazzo del Collegio dei Nobili", which today is the "Accademia delle Scienze" ("Science Academy"). There are two floors exhibiting over 700 paintings divided into 7 sections.
Via Accademia delle Scienze, 6
011/535901- 011/535181
www.artito.arti.beniculturali.it
PINACOTECA GIOVANNI E MARELLA AGNELLI
"Lo Scrigno", or the "Jewel Box", as the Lingotto structure is now known, houses a private collection donated to the city of Turin by Giovanni and Marella Agnelli, and is suspended and illunimated only by a crystal roof. The gallery, designed by Renzo Piano, was opened to the public in 2002, and the works of art on display follow no particular academic criteria, but simply offer originality and good taste. The collection includes paintings from the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth centuries and features artists such as Canaletto, Renoir, Matisse and Tiepolo as well as Picasso, Modigliani, Balla, Manet and Severini. Underneath the "Scrigno" are various levels which host temporary exhibitions.
Via Nizza, 230
011/0062713
www.pinacoteca-agnelli.it
REGIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCE
The Regional Museum of Natural Science was founded in 1978 and is housed by the seventeenth century building that was once the location of the San Giovanni Battista Hospital. Here, you can admire botanical, entomological, geological, mineralogical, palaeontological and zoological collections. Furthermore, the museum often hosts exhibitions and you can also consult its marvellous specialist library.
Via Giolitti, 36
011/4326354
www.regione.piemonte.it/museoscienzenaturali
THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE ITALIAN "RISORGIMENTO"
The Museum is located in the palace that was once the residence of the Princes of Carignano, built by Guarino Guarini. The Chamber of Deputies of the Kingdom of Sardinia was established here in 1848 on the orders of Carlo Alberto, and its is still preserved here to this day. Between 1864 and 1872, the Palace was extended in order to accommodate the first parliament of the unified Italy. The museum houses documents, antiques, weapons, uniforms and other testimonies to Italian history from the end of the eighteenth century up to the First World War.
Palazzo Carignano- Via dell'Accademia delle Scienze, 5 - 10123 Torino
011/5621147
www.regione.piemonte.it/cultura/risorgimento
STATE ARCHIVE
Designed and built by architect Filippo Juvarra between 1731 and 1734, the State Archive is located at n° 209 Piazza Castello, just past the Prefecture. More than seven hundred thousand documents and legislative acts are stored on seventy kilometres of shelves, bearing witness not only to 1300 years of Savoy history, but also to the documentation currently produced by the Provincial Authority of Turin. The building also preserves a remarkable collection of historical maps, a number of important international treaties, 15,000 volumes and nearly 400 manuscripts.
P.zza Castello, 191 - 10124 Torino
011/543855
NATIONAL AUTOMOBILE MUSEUM
The museum, housed in building of significant architectural importance, features a collection of over 170 vehicles ranging from examples of the dawn of the motorcar right up to the present day. The idea for the museum was dreamt up by Cesare Goria Gatti and Roberto Biscaretti di Cuffia in 1932, the latter being a founder member of FIAT. Subsequently, the "Fabbriche di Automobil" ('Car Factories') and the Agnelli Family promoted the construction of a permanent site.
Corso Unità d'Italia, 40 - 10100 Torino
011/677666
www.museoauto.it
NATIONAL MOUNTAIN MUSEUM
Founded in 1874 by the "Club Alpino Italiano" Association, the Museum now carries out a wide and consolidated range of nationally and internationally significant activities. It houses a vast selection of documentation regarding nature and environmental aspects of the mountains, as well as mountain traditions and the practice of mountaineering in its various guises. Furthermore, the museum plays host to a number of exhibitions throughout the year, and there are also two working documentation centres and a historic film archive.
Via Giardino, 39- Monte dei Cappuccini- Torino
011/6604104
www.museomontagna.org
THE TEXTILES MUSEUM
The museum is housed in the former convent of Santa Chiara. The exhibition features all the tools and equipment required in the textile industry, from the gathering of the woad for dying to spinning and weaving equipment.
Via De Maria 10 - Chieri
011/9427421
www.fondazionetessilchieri.com
THE MARTINI "HISTORY OF WINEMAKING" MUSEUM
The first museum of the history of wine in Europe was founded in 1961 in the old cellars under the eighteenth-century house of the Martini&Rossi family. The exhibition features over 600 instruments and objects used for the production and sacralisation of wine, of which the first examples date back to the Etruscan era. The museum consists of 16 rooms and an itinerary which leads you through the wine cellars themselves.
Piazza Luigi Rossi 1 - Chieri
011/94191
www.martinimuseum.org
CIVIC MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
Located inside the Po River Park, the museum provides access to a number of footpaths which lead one through the "Lanca di S. Michele & del Bosco del Gerbasso" Nature Reserve. The exposition includes a wide range of animal and mineral specimens, as well as interactive sections including various thematic activities.
Parco Cascina Vigna, Via San Francesco di Sales, 188 - Carmagnola
011/9724390
http://www.storianaturale.org
ROYAL RESIDENCES
THE ROYAL PALACEFormer residence of the Dukes and subsequently the Kings of Savoy, the Royal Palace preserves the works of the greatest artists from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. The Palace's construction began during the second half of the 17th century and various artists and architects contributed to its completion and the preparation of its numerous halls and rooms. Amedeo di Castellamonte, Juvarra, Benedetto Alfieri and Pelagio Palagi are some the most important artists who worked on the Palace. A tour of the Palace allows the visitor to admire the gold plated and frescoed ceilings, paintings and precious vase collections. The route winds through a series of halls, including those of the Swiss Guard and The Cuirassiers of the Footmen in order to reach the Throne Room, as well as the halls of private audience, of the Council and of the Statute. Furthermore, one can also visit the King's and Queen's apartments and the splendid ballroom. Outside the Palace, one can see the Royal Gardens, created by Andrè Le Notre in 1697 - 1698.
Piazzetta Reale
011/4361.455
http://www.ambienteto.arti.beniculturali.it
PALAZZO MADAMA
Palazzo Madama, at the centre of Piazza Castello, is a building steeped in history. The "Porta Praetorium", one of the four entrances to the Roman city, was already in existence in Julius Cesar's time, and you can still see the two thirty-metre high towers behind the eighteenth century façade towards Via Garibaldi. At the end of the thirteenth century, the gateway became a small fortress. In the fourteen hundreds, thanks to the work of Ludovico D'Acaja, the castle took on its current appearance with its two austere towers on the eastern façade and large internal court yard, subsequently covered in 1640 when Filippo Juvarra built a sumptuous banquet hall in its place. The architect, of Sicilian origin, also designed the impressive staircase in the entrance hall and the main façade. The palace has twice risked demolition. The first time was during the Napoleonic invasion of Turin, but the Emperor himself stepped in to prevent such an act, and the second was when another great architect who helped shape Turin's cultural and artistic history, l'Antonelli, suggested making a "clean sweep" of Piazza Castello. The first floor contains the apartments of a number of queens and 'royal ladies', and also features numerous artistic masterpieces such as frescoes by Domenico Riccobono (1714), paintings by Gentileschi and Rubens, a precious collection of tapestries, the statue of the Madonna with Child by Tino da Caimano. Of particular interest is a collection of wooden figures entitled "The Lamented Body of Christ" ("Il Compianto Cristo Morto") displayed in the "Civic Museum of Ancient Art", which is housed in the Palace itself. Here you can also admire the "Ritratto d'Ignoto" ("Portrait of an Unknown")by Antonelli da Messina. After a period of restoration work which began in 1988, all of Palazzo Madama is now open to the public again.
Piazza Castello - Museo Civico di Arte Antica
011/442.99.21
www.palazzomadamatorino.it
CASTELLO DEL VALENTINO
Carlo and Amedeo di Castellamonte, architects of the Castle, were influenced in no small measure in its construction by the wishes and tastes of Madam Christine of France, who took up residence in the riverside property, surrounded by beautiful parkland, in 1630. Construction of the castle was completed in 1660. The beautiful French Madam was particularly proud of the characteristic French-style inclined slate roofs. A number of great Luganese artists were entrusted with the decoration of the castle, and they created stuccoes and frescoes which can still be admired today in the Salone d'Onore ('Hall of Honour'), the Stanza Verde ('Green Room'), the Stanza delle Rose ('Room of the Roses'), the Stanza del Valentino ('Valentine Room') and the Stanza della Guerra ('War Room'). In the 16th century, it was the riverside residence of the Savoys and hosted royal events summoned by Madam Christine, including tournaments and re-enactments of river battles. Today, the castle is home to the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Turin and is closed to visitors.
THE MEDIEVAL VILLAGE
The Medieval Village was erected in 1884 for the occasion of the Universal Exposition, and was conceived by a group of Torinese artists and men of letters who wanted to recreate the atmosphere of a 15th century Piedmontese village. In the village, it is possible to visit the castle, inspired by the Fenis Castle in Val d'Aosta, surrounded by artisan workshops, houses and shops, with the classic castle walls, moat and drawbridge.
Via Mattioli, 39
REGGIA VENARIA
Took shape in 1659 the grandiose project of Duke Carlo Emanuele II to build a permanent center for the practice of hunting. Completed in 1675 approx., Realized a "unique", represented by Village Gardens-Palace-which developed along an axis by 2 km The village, which reproduces the shape of the Annunziata, proposed a central square quadrovale. The Palace itself consisted of two short and had as its core the "Hall of Diana." To the south west were the stables, kennels, the Citroniera, the "Deer Park High" and, overlooking the village, the chapel of St. Rocco. The destruction of some parts of the plant operated by the French troops under Catinat in 1693 it was launching the renovation project of the complex (1699-1713). This time it was taken as a reference model of the palace of Versailles. Of this project was, however, made only the southwest part of the sleeve and to the north was built by the early death of Garove in 1713. In 1716 construction was entrusted to Juvarra and, after his death, passed to Benedetto Alfieri.
011/4593675
www.lavenaria.it
CASTELLO DI RIVOLI
Originally the Castle of Rivoli was a safe original of the eleventh century. Only later was gradually transformed by the Savoy in a grand country residence at different times entrusted to architects Vitozzi, Castellamonte and Juvarra. The latter was commissioned by Vittorio Amedeo II to create a symbol of the magnificence of the royal Savoy Juvarra devised a grand plan which unfortunately remained unfinished. From the square of the Castle enjoys a beautiful view of the hills of Monferrato and Turin and the Alps, from the Maritimes to Monte Rosa. Since 1984, the castle houses the Museum of Contemporary Art, which is the scene of many events and exhibitions. The permanent exhibition is divided into 38 rooms, dedicated to the twentieth century has gained an international reputation. You can also enjoy some outdoor works ingeniously integrated into the structure of the ancient castle.
Piazza Mafalda di Savoia - 10098 Rivoli
011/9565222
www.castellodirivoli.it
PALAZZINA DI CACCIA DI STUPINIGI
Juvarra masterpiece, the Hunting Palace of Stupinigi is a gem of eighteenth-century architecture and furnishings. It was built at the behest of Vittorio Emanuele II and was built as a hunting lodge, but the sovereign, in 1730, a year after the start of construction of the building, he abdicated. When years later he returned to Turin, with the intention to resume the power, he was arrested, being considered the architect of a political plot. His son, Charles Emmanuel III, was a continuation of the construction and for the continuation of the work entrusted to Juvarra architect Benedetto Alfieri, who completed the building in 1733. The new ruler transformed into a place of leisure Stupinigi refined. The interior of the house is divided into four apartments (New, Delia Queen, the King and Dukes) that revolve around a central lounge royal, great, rich stucco and frescoes, which were held lavish receptions and dances. The apartments are furnished in various styles, mostly Baroque and Empire, with frescoes, lintels and sculptures, works of all artists or residents of Turin in Turin between 1732 and 1785. Napoleon, in 1805, stayed there for over a week, before going to London for his coronation as King of Italy. Among the many historical figures who lived in the house, for longer or shorter periods, we can remember the first Queen of Italy, Margherita of Savoy, Pauline Bonaparte and Queen of Portugal, Maria Pia. The latter, in the peace of the enchanting abode, he sought solace and distraction for his family misfortunes and remained there until his death. In addition, the rooms Stupinigi could still tell of famous love secrets, in particular of "conventions" of Vittorio Emanuele II with "Bela Rusin." Currently a part of the house is used as a dell'Ammobiliamento Artistic Historical Museum. In house and in the beautiful park, shows and exhibitions are hosted regularly, among which we mention: Games Without Frontiers, Sound and Light, an exhibition on the Baroque and the recent ExtraTorino Festival.
Piazza Principe Amedeo 7 - Stupinigi - Nichelino
011/3581220
www.visitatorino.com/palazzina_stupinigi.htm
MONCALIERI CASTLE
In the small town of Moncalieri, it would be impossible to miss the imposing form of the impressive Castle. The castle, which dominates the old town centre, dates back to the 15th century but underwent a period renovation work beginning in 1619. The original structure dates back even further, to the 12th century. The first rebuilding work on the fort was ordered by Tommaso III of Savoy in 1277 and it was only in the second half of the 15th century that the fort was extended, equipped with cylindrical corner towers and began to assume the form of a ducal residence. In the 16th century, the castle fell into ruin. In the next century, Carlo Emanuele I began the rebuilding which was subsequently completed by Her Royal Highness Mary Christine and son Carlo Emanuele II in the following century. The work was initially entrusted to Carlo and then to Amedeo di Castellamonte. Successive renovations, including furnishings, were carried out by Filippo Juvarra (1731) and Benedetto Alfieri (1752-56). At the end of the 18th century, Vittorio Amedeo III extended the complex even further with four square towers. The castle was a favourite residence of Princess M. Clotilde, who died there in 1911, and of Vittorio Emanuele II, the last sovereign to choose it as a permanent residence and who ordered its restoration and furnishing according to late 19th century tastes. Much of the refined furniture, collected over various periods by the Savoy family, has been transferred to museums, but the magnificence of its rooms and halls can be still be admired in the royal chapel, the apartments of princesses Maria Letizia and Maria Clotilde, in the royal apartment of Vittorio Emanuele, in the Queen's graceful boudoir and in the 18th century reception hall. The royal apartments date back mainly to the 19th century, but there is no shortage of exquisite examples of late 18th century style, such as the former Chinese drawing room which was converted to use as a bathroom. Now the property of the state, the castle is now partly used as a barracks by the Carabinieri.
Piazza Baden Baden, 4 - 10024 Moncalieri
011/6402883
www.ambienteto.arti.beniculturali.it
VILLAS
VILLA CONTE VERDIOn the Piol way there is the main facade is richly decorated with terracotta anthropomorphic of the House of Conte Verde. In fact, Count Amadeus VI of Savoy has nothing to do with the fourteenth-century house that was home to a merchant aristocracy.
Via Piol - 10098 Rivoli
QUEEN'S VILLA
The "Villa della Regina" was designed in the first half of the seventeenth century by order of Cardinal Maurizio of Savoy. It is a baroque building surrounded by splendidly majestic gardens, and has undergone modifications and restoration work on several occasions. It was originally the location of the "Accademia dei Solinghi" and only became the abode of the Cardinal and his wife in 1642. Anne of Orleans, wife of Vittorio Amedeo II moved there in the eighteenth century, and it was also home for a while to Vittorio Emanuele I. Restoration work on the Villa and the surrounding park has been underway for some time.
RELIGIOUS BUILDINGS
THE SUPERGA BASILICAThe Superga Basilica stands on one of the hills that dominates the city of Turin and was built by King Vittorio Amedeo II as a token of his gratitude to the Virgin Mary after defeating the besieging French in 1704. It was designed by Filippo Juvarra. The entrance to the church is at the top of three classically styled flights of steps, and on either side of the portico there are two bases from which the bell towers elegantly rise. The plan of the Basilica is octagonal, with Corinthian columns placed on concave bases, in turn resting on angular pillars. The lateral chapels house paintings by Ricci and Beaumont, as well as marble altarpieces by Cametti and Cornacchini. To left of the Basilica entrance you can access the tombs of the Kings and Princes of the Kingdom of Sardinia. Behind the building stands a monastery that used to house the Congregation of the Regular Priests by order of Vittorio Amedeo. On May 4th 1949, the aeroplane bringing the "Grande Torino" football team back from Lisbon crashed into the back of the Basilica, causing one of the worst tragedies in post-war Italy. There is a special plaque at the back of the church dedicated to the footballers and other members of the staff who died in the crash. The wall that the aeroplane crashed into has never been rebuilt and is still visible today. Strada della Basilica di Superga, 73 - Superga - Torino
011 8980083
http://www.parrocchie.it/torino/basilicasuperga/
THE ABBEY OF "SANT'ANTONIO DI RANVERSO"
The 12th century abbey was built to accommodate the pilgrims that came to obtain treatment for "the fire of Saint Anthony", or herpes. Still standing today are the church, which was part of the convent, the farmsteads, the 14th century bell-tower and the 18th century monastery. All the remaining buildings have undergone modifications over the centuries. The church, for example, was enriched with earthenware decorations in the fifteenth century.
Indirizzo Località Sant'Antonio di Ranverso - 10090 Buttigliera Alta
011/9367450
ST JOHN'S CATHEDRAL
The only example of a renaissance church in Turin, the cathedral is situated in Piazza San Giovanni Battista. Two basilicas and the Church of S. Maria de' Dopno once stood here, but on the authority if the Bishop of Turin, Cardinal Della Rovere, the three churches were knocked down and the cathedral was built in their place. The building has three naves and a transept. The octagonal dome allows light into the building together with the large windows positioned in the lateral aisles. The original apse was replaced in the seventeenth century by the Cupola of the Holy Shroud, constructed by Guarino Guarini to connect the church with the Royal Palace, symbolically linking religious and worldly power. The cathedral's interior features the sepulchres of Giovanna d'Orlier de la Balme in a Borgognone style, and the Romagnanos, a rare example in Turin of a renaissance tomb. Above the central door there is a "Last Supper", painted by Gagna and donated by King Carlo Alberto. The renaissance style exterior features a façade culminating in a tympanum with inscription. The two orders are linked with volutes, as was required by the Tuscan renaissance school, and there are also two large splayed, mullion windows. The three portals feature refined marble decorations, and the wooden shutters were carved by Carlo Maria Ugliego and date back to the seventeen hundreds. A robust bell tower rises about sixty metres at the side of the cathedral, topped with an unfinished eighteenth century bell chamber.
Piazza S. Giovanni - Torino
011/4361540
CHIESA DELLA GRAN MADRE DI DIO
Construction work for the church was constructed according to a design by Ferdinando Monsignore in 1818 (and was completed in 1831) to commemorate Vittorio Emanuele I's return to Piedmont after the defeat suffered by Napoleone. The building's neoclassical style is confirmed by the choice of its structure, influenced by the Roman Pantheon, both in its layout and its decoration. The two statues that flank the entrance to the church represent Religion and Faith, while the Bertel Thorvaldsen statue is also worthy of mention.
Piazza Gran Madre di Dio 4 - Torino
011/8193572
THE CHURCH OF SAN FILIPPO NERI
Work was commenced by Bettini in 1675, but, after the collapse of the cupola, responsibility for its construction was taken by Juvarra in 1714 under the supervision of Vittorio Amedeo II. A second phase was undertaken in 1823 by Giuseppe Maria Talucchi. The church is constituted by a single nave and six lateral chapels. 69 metres long and 37 metres wide, San Filippo Neri is the largest church in Turin.
Via Maria Vittoria, 5 - Torino
011/538456
CHIESA DI SAN LORENZO
This church is one of the most beautiful in Turin, and one of the finest masterpieces of European baroque architecture. It was designed by Guarino Guarini and was based on an existing church. It is situated on the western flank of Piazza Castello, adjacent to the Royal Square, and can be accessed through the Oratory of Our Lady of Sorrows (l'Oratorio dell' Addolorata), although the octagonal plan of the building is not immediately recognisable. The decision to construct the Church of San Lorenzo was made on August 10th 1557, on Saint Lawrence's Day. After the dramatic battle of San Quintino, Emanuele Filiberto decided to restore the existing Church of "Santa Maria del Presepe" (Saint Mary of the Manger) and dedicate it to the aforementioned saint. The plan of the church is based on a Greek cross with rounded corners, thus creating an octagon with alternating concave and convex sides. The rich marble decoration plays with colour, alternating the white and pink of the chapels with the green and ochre of the concave sides. The proud cupola rises above the octagonal, and its height is three times the diameter of the base. It comprises three intersected arches that play with the octagonal form. There are further geometric tricks that generate lunette squares, pentagons and intertwining that exalt the light, creating concepts and atmospheres reminiscent of the Mezquita di Cordoba in Spain. The marble's tricks of colour and the contrasts between the purity of the cupola's lines and the dazzling richness of the decorations below are two of the main reasons for this Torinese church's charm. The exterior of the Church of San Lorenzo does not feature a façade, as it is part of those of the buildings lining Palazzo Castello. The Dukes of Savoya, in fact, didn't want Gaurini's design to be constructed because they didn't want the square, a symbol of their absolute power, to have elements which distracted the viewer from its significance and from the observation of the focal points, the Royal Palace and Palazzo Madama. Among the paintings in the church, Andrea Pozzo's Crucifixion on the first altar to the right is particularly worthy of note. The front of the altar depicts the Holy Shroud in remembrance of the day when the Shroud was brought into the old church of San Lorenzo. The altarpiece of the Virgin with the blessed Savoyards on the third altar on the right also deserves a mention.
Piazza Castello, 4 - Torino
011/4361527
THE "MADONNA DELLA CONSOLATA" CHURCH
The "Santuario della Consolata" is a very important point of reference for Torinese churchgoers. The Sanctuary was constructed from a basilica, probably in the fifth century, and over the centuries the church has undergone several renovations. The interior is a triumph of marble, gold plated stucco-work and eighteenth century frescoes. The exterior features a Corinthian column erected by the city of Turin as a monument to the towns liberation from the cholera epidemic of 1835. The "Santuario della Consolata" is also a well-known pilgrimage destination. Indeed, there are many votive offerings to be found in its corridors.
Piazza della Consolata - Torino
011/4363235
SANTA MARIA DEL MONTE CHURCH
Monte dei Cappuccini is today one of Turin's most familiar landmarks. From the eleventh century onwards, the Mount was a fortification (known as the "Bastida") in defence of the city. In 1473, the "Bastida" was made into a feud and became private property. The last owner sold the site to Carlo Emanuele I in 1581, who passed it over to the Capuchin Order and entrusted Ascanio Vittozzi with the construction of the church. The CAI has had a headquarters there with the National Mountain Museum since 1891. The structure is a central plan with an octagonal tambour that dates back to the nineteenth century. The architecture is austere, unadorned and a far cry from the pomp and splendour of the Court. The following features are particularly worthy of note: the Martyrdom of San Maurizio of Moncalvo (in the altar on the left), the wooden statues carved by Carlo Giusseppe Plura, the Crucifix in the choir by Bartolomeo Botto, and a number of paintings by Cerano and Orazio Gentileschi.
Via Giardino, 35 - Monte dei Cappuccini - Torino
011/6604414
ARCHITECTURAL STYLES
ROMANESQUE AND GOTHIC:PORTA PALATINA
The Palatine Towers constitute two of the best-preserved Roman monuments in the city of Turin. The Palatine Gateway was the ancient "Porta Principalis" (Main Entrance) to the Roman city and was only named "Palatium" in the medieval period. At the sides of the gateway are two sixteen sided thirty-metre high towers, and in front of the structure, on the pavement, you can still see the signs left by the chariots and you can admire the bronze copies of two Roman statues of Cesar and Augustus.
Piazza Cesare Augusto
THE CHURCH OF SANTA GIULIA
The Parish Church of Santa Giulia was designed free of charge in 1862 by the architect Giovanni Battista Ferrante as a mark of thanks to Marchioness Giulia Falletti di Barolo, an enlightened lady who had done much to help the inhabitants of Vanchiglia village when times were at their hardest. Ferrante was greatly inspired by Gothic architecture, which is particularly evident in the external façade and the interior design. The façade features four statues sculpted from white Carrara marble, representing Saints Peter, Paul, Carlo Borromeo and the blessed Sebastiano Valfrè. The rest of the Church was built using the "mattoni a vista" technique.
Piazza Santa Giulia
RENAISSANCE:
PALAZZO SCAGLIA DI VERRUA
This 16th century building is one of the few examples of Renaissance architecture to be admired in Turin. The sobre façade, featuring mural paintings, looks out across a vast courtyard surrounded by an arcade. The courtyard presents an opening which leads to a garden where the stables were once found. Now converted into a restaurant, the beautiful wooden ceilings are still in excellent condition.
Via Stampori, 4
ST JOHN'S CATHEDRAL
The only example of a renaissance church in Turin, the cathedral is situated in Piazza San Giovanni Battista. Two basilicas and the Church of S. Maria de' Dopno once stood here, but on the authority if the Bishop of Turin, Cardinal Della Rovere, the three churches were knocked down and the cathedral was built in their place. The building has three naves and a transept. The octagonal dome allows light into the building together with the large windows positioned in the lateral aisles. The original apse was replaced in the seventeenth century by the Cupola of the Holy Shroud, constructed by Guarino Guarini to connect the church with the Royal Palace, symbolically linking religious and worldly power. The cathedral's interior features the sepulchres of Giovanna d'Orlier de la Balme in a Borgognone style, and the Romagnanos, a rare example in Turin of a renaissance tomb. Above the central door there is a "Last Supper", painted by Gagna and donated by King Carlo Alberto. The renaissance style exterior features a façade culminating in a tympanum with inscription. The two orders are linked with volutes, as was required by the Tuscan renaissance school, and there are also two large splayed, mullion windows. The three portals feature refined marble decorations, and the wooden shutters were carved by Carlo Maria Ugliego and date back to the seventeen hundreds. A robust bell tower rises about sixty metres at the side of the cathedral, topped with an unfinished eighteenth century bell chamber.
Piazza S. Giovanni - Torino
011/4361540
BAROQUE:
PALAZZO CARIGNANO
The Palace was once the residence of the Carignano Princes, a branch of the Savoy family and the most important of the ducal court, and its apartments have witnessed the births of such notable historical figures as Carlo Alberto and Vittorio Emanuele II. It was designed in 1679 by Guarino Guarini, who completely renovated it with a majestic curvilinear brickwork façade featuring both concave and convex forms in a classic baroque style. The façade is made easier on the eye thanks to its sinuous forms and relief decoration. Soon after its construction, when there was only one façade, there were gardens and stables behind it. In 1848, the palace hosted the first subalpine parliament and it was within these walls that, in 1861, the Kingdom of Italy was proclaimed.
Piazza Carignano
TEATRO REGIO
Only the façade of the original theatre, and thus its baroque nature, still remain. In fact, in 1936, the rest of the 18th century theatre designed by Benedetto Alfieri was destroyed by fire. In 1973, Carlo Mollino managed to save the façade and recreate behind it a new theatre using tricks of light, transparency and colour. With regard to the lateral exterior structure, it was built in "mattone a vista", in full respect of Torinese traditions. As part of the renovation work which began in 1996, a beautiful bronze railing was installed, adapted from a design by Umberto Mastroianni.
Piazza Castello, 215
CHIESA DEL CARMINE
It was the first architect of the court of Vittorio Amedeo II, Filippo Juvarra, who constructed this church for the Carmelite religious order. Designed in 1728, work was completed in 1736. The interior is spacious and bright thanks to the nave in which the arches are only barely concealed. The church was completed by Agliaudo di Tavigliano, Francesco Benedetto Feroggio and Ignazio Birago di Borgaro. Claudio Francesco Beaumont's majestic Madonna del Carmine in the apse is not to be missed.
Via del Carmine, 3
PALAZZO FALETTI DI BAROLO
This noble residence is one of the finest examples of Torinese baroque architecture. It was built in the second half of the 17th century and subsequently completed by Gian Francesco Baroncelli. The most beautiful parts of the building are the large atrium and the majestic staircase with three flights leading to the noble floor. The majority of the decorations, frescoes, stuccoes, etc, were ordered by the Marquis Falletti di Barolo. Today, the building belongs to the Opera Pia, an organisation founded by the Marchioness which helps women in difficulty.
Via delle Orfane, 7
THE SUBALPINE INDUSTRY GALLERY
The gallery connects Piazza Castello with Piazza Carlo Alberto, and was built in 1874 by Pietro Carrera in order to meet the needs of a growing consumerism. The passage is covered, has two floors, and the iron and glass roof lights up the entire gallery. The gallery houses two admirable establishments of historical importance in the city, the Baratti Confectioner's, with its marble, wood and bronze decorations, and the Caffè Mulassano, with its Art Nouveau furnishings.
Tra Piazza Castello e Piazza Carlo Alberto
NEOCLASSICAL AND NINETEENTH CENTURIES:
CHIESA DELLA GRAN MADRE DI DIO
Construction work for the church was constructed according to a design by Ferdinando Monsignore in 1818 (and was completed in 1831) to commemorate Vittorio Emanuele I's return to Piedmont after after the defeat suffered by Napoleon. The building's neoclassical style is confirmed by the choice of its structure, influenced by the Roman Pantheon, both in its layout and its decoration. The two statues that flank the entrance to the church represent Religion and Faith, while the Bertel Thorvaldsen statue is also worthy of mention.
Piazza Gran Madre di Dio
MOLE ANTONELLIANA
The Mole Antonelliana is undoubtedly the symbol of Turin! The monument which has become the symbol of the city of Turin was built in 1863 according to Alessandro Antonelli's design and at 167 metres high, it was the highest brick-built in Europe until fairly recently. It was originally intended as a synagogue for the city's Jewish community, but it was subsequently purchased by the city council so that it could house the "Risorgimento" Museum. The original design underwent numerous modifications put forward by Antonelli himself who, with the insertion of the enormous vault surmounted by the elegant spire, wanted to distinguish the monument by increasing its original height of 47 metres to its current 167 metres. Over the years, a number of powerful reinforced concrete supports became necessary and from 1931 onwards they were produced by engineers such as Pozzo, Gilberti and subsequently Albenga. In 1953, a violent storm destroyed more than half of the spire. Rebuilding work on the top of the building was completed in 1961 in time for the unification of Italy's centenary celebrations, which were marked by the installation of a panoramic lift in the great hall, complete with a cable-hoisting device. Onetime home of the National "Risorgimento" Museum and subsequently a venue for temporary exhibitions, today it houses the "National Museum of Cinema".
Via Montebello, 20
PORTA NUOVA RAILWAY STATION
Turin's first railway station was constructed in 1861 by engineer Alessandro Mazzucchetti. Initially, the departure and arrivals areas were kept separate. The former contained a hall with a circular vaulted ceiling enhanced with columns, stuccoes and frescoes, the ticket office, three waiting rooms, the 'Royal Hall' and a café and restaurant. The magnificent semi-circular roof was one of the first examples in Europe of a chainless, metallic arch full-centre construction. In 1940, a multi-storey building was erected, the metallic covering was demolished and the central area was covered with wooden platform roofs. The prestigious façade still retains the building's architectural beauty, while other interventions have contributed to an alteration of its orignal architectural forms.
Piazza Carlo Felice
LIBERTY:
BORGO CRIMEA
Thanks to the construction of the Umberto I bridge, the Crimea district was born in 1911. It was built in full respect of the environment on the one hand, and the orthogonal harmony of the city on the other. Here, we can find some of the finest examples of Torinese Liberty architecture: the imposing n° 11 Corso Fiume, built by Vittorio Ballatore di Rosana in 1912 and, at n° 57 Corso Lanza on the hillside, the home of industrialist Scott, the work of Pietro Fenoglio in 1902, with each window different from the other, and finally Villa Treves, once the home of Carlo Levi, designed by Bellini in 1904.
Piazza Crimea, 2
CASA FENOGLIO - LA FLEUR
This house was built especially for the Fenoglio family in 1902, a period when Turin was developing "Art Nouveau" and was further stimulated by the Exposition of Decorative and Industrial Arts. Exploiting its position on a corner, the architects took the opportunity to create a bow-windowed tower using iron, coloured glass and decorations which recall the Belgian and French schools.
Via Principi d'Acaja, 11/ Corso Francia
NEW MILLENNIUM:
LINGOTTO FIAT
The enormous FIAT factory, one of the symbols of the city, was designed by Giaccomo Mattè Trucco and constructed between 1916 and 1922. It was built to vertically accommodate all the production phases of car manufacturing. Thanks to the two helicoidal ramps, cars could reach the spectacular roof-top testing track. The "Palavela" was subsequently created by Aulenti and De Bernardi for the Italia '61 Exposition. In the 1980s, once car production had been transferred elsewhere, Renzo Piano rebuilt the complex so that it could accommodate a shopping centre and the Lingotto Exhibition Centre. He also added, above the roof-top testing track, the majestic "glass bubble" which houses a conference room.
Via Nizza 250/280