The capital of Piedmont region is a city with a majestic architecture, an elegant appearance and an old-fashioned air. After the Winter Olympic Games of 2006 the city has been restructured and it gained again its splendour.
This city has been the Italy capital, and this is still evident in its architecture.
Nowadays Turin is also the seat of important and numerous cultural initiatives, as the Salone del Libro (an annual books fair in which are present all the principal Italian publishing houses) and the Salone del Gusto (annual food fair that has among its organizers Slow Food association).
The monument symbol of the city is the Mole Antonelliana, that today houses the National Museum of Cinema.
The Mole Antonelliana
Symbol of the city, the Mole Antonelliana was projected by the architect Alessandro Antonelli.
Thanks to an innovative panoramic elevator you can arrive on the top of the Mole in every period of the year and enjoy a breathtaking panorama of Turin.
The Mole is 163,35 meters high, and it is the highest monument of Italy.
Inside the Mole there’s the National Museum of Cinema with a suggestive and emotional path.
The Castle square
This square is the real fulcrum of Turin ; in it’s centre rise Palazzo Madama, or the castle that gives name to the square.
This square was planned in 1584 by Ascanio Vitozzi.
In the square there was the Castle yet which was built in 1200.
This Castle was perfectly integrated in the new project and later embellished by the baroque façade made by Filippo Juvarra.
The Castle is surrounded by three statues: the Alfiere dell’Esercito sardo by Vincenzo Vela, which is in front of the façade of Palazzo Madama; the Cavalieri d’Italia, made by Pietro Canonica, and the Emanuele Filiberto duca d’Aosta based on a project made by Eugenio Baroni.
Palazzo Madama and the Antique Art Museum
Palazzo Madama stands in the centre of Castle Square.
The palace incorporate parts of ancient Roman gate, wich was converted into a castle in the Middle Ages. In the 17th century it became the residence of the Madama Reale (Royal Widow). In 1721 Filippo Juvarra enbellish the palace with a splendid baroque facade. The Palace housed the work of Subalpine and Italian Senate from 1848 to 1864.
Today, it is the seat of the Antique Art Museum.
The collections are organized in the four floors of the Palace: in the basement there’s the Lapidario Medievale, which contains stone sculptures and goldsmith’s art works. On the first floor there are art works dated from Middle Age to Renaissance; in the Treasure Tower, you will find the Portrait of a Man by Antonello da Messina and in
In the baroque style rooms of the first floor are kept masterpieces of 1600 and 1700: paintings, furnitures and ornaments. On the second floor you’ll find works of decorative arts: ivory, ceramics, goldsmith works, stained-glass and tissues.
Egyptian Museum
The Museo Egizio or Eyptian Museum of Turin is the world’s oldest Egyptian museum; founded in 1824, it ranks second only to Cairo.
The foundation of the Museum is dated back in 1826, by Carlo Felice who bought the collection of a French consul in Egypt : Bernardino Drovetti.
Among the most significant of vestiges found are the intact tomb of Kha and Merit, along with the rupestrian temple of Ellesija. However, perhaps the most important from an historical perspective is the Turin Royal Canon or Turin King List, one of the most informative sources of Egyptian royal succession.
Eating in Turin
Turin has a lot of typical dishes and products, from the first courses to the pastries.
The typical pasta of Turin is the “agnolotti”, a pasta made with small pieces of flattened pasta dough, folded over with a meat stuffing.
An other typical dish is the bagna cauda, a “ Piemontese “ sauce ; its principal ingredient is the garlic. It’s generally served in little pots and with raw or cooked vegetables.
But the real masterpieces of Turin food is the chocolate.
The most know Turin chocolate is the Gianduiotto, chocolate prepared with nuts and little biscuits made in an traditional way in the little town of Chivasso.
Piedmont is very known for its wine production. Among the white wines: Gavi and Langhe, or if you prefer red wines: Dolcetto, Barbera, Barolo, Nebbiolo and Barbaresco.
Going out in Turin
There are 17 major city parks where one can find peace and quiet inside the city and in contact with nature. The best known is certainly Parco del Valentino (Valentino park) (approximately 450,000 square metres) that includes the 18th - century Orto Botanico (bothanic garden) , the Castello (one of the Savoy Residences) and the Borgo Medioevale.
Another green area is the Pellerina (almost 1 million square metres), along the banks of the Dora Riparia, with various sports facilities such as skating trails and tennis courts as well as locations open for events and live performances, especially during the summer months.
Shopping in Turin
Via Roma is the real centre of the city, with its typical arcades.
Via Carlo Alberto and via Lagrange, will show you the stupendous shop windows of the greatest national and international fashion names.
In San Carlo Square you’ll find the most luxurious and elegant shops of Turin.
Via Po is a very beautiful street that brings you to Vittorio Square. Here you can find some antiquities shops and book shops.
Via Garibaldi is the longest street of Europe ; here you’ll find old workshops and vanguard shops.
Via Monferrato is the street of the fashion ateliers of young stylist and typical products shops, where you can buy the typical wines.
Turin has a lot of streets market, 49 more or less, but the biggest and the more known is the Porta Palazzo street market. Don’t forget that this is the biggest street market of Europe.