Despite its twentieth-century history as the industrial center of Italy, Turin (Torino) is an elegant and graceful city with wide avenues and piazzas lined by beautiful arcades. Long before it was the birthplace of Fiat and Lancia, Turin was the seat of the powerful Savoy dynasty and they decided to make their capital the rival of Paris and Vienna. Their palaces are the focal point and the streetscape is the legacy of 17th-century Baroque architects Guarino Guarini and Filippo Juvarra.
Capital of the northern Italian region of Piedmont, Turin traces its foundation’s geometric layout to a Roman city, and an impressive gateway from the time of Emperor Augustus is one of today’s tourist attractions. After the French occupation under Napoleon, from 1798 to 1814, Turin became the center of the movement to unite Italy, a period known as the Risorgimento, when its glittering cafes rang with the discussions and plans of these activists.
Read also: Lecce in Italy: sights and tips for the baroque city
1 Royal Palace
Filling one whole side of the large Piazza Castello in the center of Turin, the former Royal Palace is a relatively plain 17th-century building, at least on the outside. But enter to be dazzled by the Appartamento di Madama Felicità and 26 luxuriously appointed state apartments ( Reali Appartamenti ). In the right wing, the first Royal Armory contains one of the largest collections of arms and armor in Europe, with complete suits of armor and other items dating from the 15th to 19th centuries. The library, with a separate entrance on the far left, is one of the most impressive in Italy. Beyond the Palazzo Reale are the beautiful Royal Gardens(Giardini Reali) on the corner of which (the entrance is on Corso Regina Margherita) is the Museo d’Antichità , filled with archaeological finds from prehistoric times to the end of Roman times.
Address: Piazzetta Reale, Turin
Accommodation: Where to Stay in Turin
2 Palazzo Madama
Madame Palace
The grand Palazzo Madama is the centerpiece of Piazza Castello , standing alone in the centre. At its core is a 13th-century castle built on the remains of the Roman east gate. The castle was enlarged in the 15th century and embellished by Filippo Juvarra in 1718 with the beautiful west front – a fine example of Piedmontese baroque architecture – and the beautiful double staircase.
Inside is the Museo Civico d’Arte Antica , where you can discover Turin’s history and artistic legacy from the ground up – literally. Start in the Roman foundations with the collection of medieval stonework, statuary and jewelry; on the ground floor discover the 15th century castle and the art of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, together with the grand staircase and the medieval courtyard. On the first floor are the lavishly laid out state apartments from the 17th and 18th centuries with collections of paintings and antique furniture. The top floor features decorative arts, including ceramics, ivories, jewelry, fabrics, and glassware from different eras.
Address: Piazza Castello, Turin
3 Mole Antonelliana
Mole Antonelliana
From Piazza Castello , the arcaded Via Po runs to Piazza Vittorio Veneto and the River Po. Just north of Via Po rises the huge Mol Antonelliana, begun by Alessandro Antonelli in 1863 as a synagogue, with a 168-meter spire added in 1878-80. Not only is this the most recognizable landmark in Turin’s skyline, but the tower offers spectacular 360-degree views across the city to the surrounding hills and the Savoy Alps. The ride to the top in the glass elevator is an experience you won’t soon forget, as it offers a dizzying and dramatic look at the National Museum of Cinema, which occupies the interior of the building. The museum is perhaps best described by its designer, François Confino: “A complete immersion in the world of images in motion and fiction.” Even people with little interest in movies will enjoy this museum, but you can also take the elevator to the top from the entrance to the museum for an additional fee.
Address: Via Montebello 20, Turin
Official site: www.museocinema.it
4 The Cathedral and the Holy Shroud
Adjoining the Palazzo Reale, the Cathedral of San Giovanni Battista was Turin’s first example of Renaissance architecture, built between 1492 and 1498. The cathedral’s main attraction for tourists is the Santa Sindone, Holy Shroud, which although only rarely seen is in a bulletproof, fireproof and climate-controlled vault behind the altar in the left transept. A full-size replica hangs in the north aisle of the cathedral. The Holy Shroud is perhaps the world’s most studied and controversial artifact, but despite the studies and research, it has never been proven or proven to be the shroud of Christ crucified.
Address: Piazza San Giovanni
5 Medieval village in the Valentino Park
To get away from lavish palaces and grand architecture, stroll down to the river and into the long green Parco Valentino. Here you will find Turin’s own “folly” – a complete “medieval” village, an imaginative image of what you would have looked like, complete with its own castle, artists’ studios and shops. Built for an 1884 exhibition, the borgo became such a local favorite that it was maintained as part of the park. It’s wonderful location on the river, so close to the historic and business center and its other attractions – the 1729 Botanical Gardens and the Savoys’ fine Renaissance Castello del Valentino (1630-60) – make the park popular with locals and tourists alike .
Address: Corso Massimo d’Azeglio, Turijn
6 Egyptian Museum (Egyptisch Museum)
While you may not think of coming to Turin to see Egyptian antiquities, you won’t find a better collection anywhere outside of Cairo. The Palazzo dell’Accademia delle Scienze houses the Egyptian Museum, whose collections began in 1824 when King Carlo Felice acquired 5,268 objects excavated in Egypt. These were supplemented by later expeditions and today the collections contain statues of various gods and pharaohs of the New Kingdom, including Rameses II and King Thutmose III, along with papyruses, painted linens, a group of Shawabti figures and a Shawabti box, canopic vessels , mummies and sarcophagi and two burial chambers of Thebes.
Address: Via Academy of Sciences 6, Turijn
Official site: www.museoegizio.org
7 Porta Palatina
Palatine Gate
Via Garibaldi was the Decimus Maximus, the main street of the Roman city of Augusta Taurinorum. Near the cathedral, you will see the imposing first-century gate, Porta Palatina, the only remaining of the four entrances to the Roman city. One of the best-preserved Roman gates in the world, the three-story wall of Porta Palatina is constructed of brick and connects a pair of polygonal brick towers. According to legend, Charlemagne camped under the gate in 773. Next to the cathedral are the remains of a Roman theater, also from the first century AD. Only part of it is visible, the rest is covered by the buildings of the royal palace.
Address: Via Aosta, Turin
8 Sanctuary of Santa Maria Consolatrice (La Consolata)
The Madonna was honored on this site as early as the fourth century, but the oldest part that remains is the Romanesque campanile, built sometime around 1000 AD. When Guarini rebuilt the church in 1678 as a sanctuary dedicated to Mary, he kept the early tower. Its baroque pilgrimage church is a sight to behold and pilgrims have added ex votos to it since its completion. In 1729, Filippo Juvarra added the oval chapel.
Address: Consolata Square, Turijn
9 Piazza San Carlo
Turin is a city of beautiful piazzas and avenues, but no place is more beautiful than the gallery-lined Piazza San Carlo, surrounded by arcaded buildings and featuring the matching facades of the churches of Santa Cristina and San Carlo on one side . Beneath the arcades are some of Turin’s most stylish shops and the historic cafes where Italy’s Risorgimento was plotted in the mid-nineteenth century. At the center of the square is an imposing equestrian statue of Duke Emmanuel Philibert (1838), who appears to choreograph the activity below. On the pavement under the arcades, look at the works – often in progress – of Turin’s talented chalk artists.
10 Savoy Gallery
Inside the Palazzo dell’Accademia delle Scienze is the Galleria Sabauda, an art museum with some of Turin’s greatest treasures. The collection includes pictures by the Piedmontese artists and by the Venetians Mantegna ( Madonna with Saints ), Paolo Veronese, Tintoretto, Tiepolo and Canaletto, as well as notable works by Tuscan artists, including Beato Angelico’s Angels in Adoration . The extensive collection of Dutch and Flemish paintings includes works by Jan van Eyck, Rogier van der Weyden, Hans Memling, Van Dyck and Rembrandt, which is represented by an early painting, Old Man Asleep . One room is dedicated to the Gualino collection, with photographs by Botticelli and Veronese.
Address: Via Accademia delle Scienze 6 (voer vanaf de Via XX Settembre 86 in), Turijn
11 San Lorenzo
Don’t judge the Church of San Lorenzo, next to the Palazzo Reale, from the outside – step inside this baroque (1668-80) masterpiece by Guarini and look up for a surprise. Architecturally, San Lorenzo is considered one of the world’s greatest churches due to its unusual and boldly designed dome and lantern. The round domed center is surrounded by eight arched bays and supported by intersecting ribs. Note also the exuberant baroque altar.
Address: Piazza Castello, Turin
12 Gallery of Modern Art
The Galleria d’Arte Moderna contains one of the finest collections of modern art in Italy. The concentration is on Italian artists such as Modigliani, De Chirico, Carrà, De Pisis and Guttuso, but the collections include a number of works by Renoir, Utrillo, Paul Klee, Max Ernst, Chagall and others.
Address: Via Magenta 31, Turin
Official site: www.gamtorino.it/en/
13 National Automobile Museum
The National Automobile Museum offers a comprehensive overview of the development of the car, with a special focus on the Turin car manufacturers, but by no means limited to them. The collection of antique and classic cars is excellent and multimedia exhibits tell their stories and also put cars in a social and cultural context.
Adres: Corso Unità d’Italia 40, Turijn
Official site: https://www.museoauto.it/website/
14 National Museum of the Italian Risorgimento (Risorgimento Museum)
In de buurt Piazza Castello, Palazzo Carignano (by Guarini, 1679-85) was the meeting place of the Italian Parliament from 1861 to 1864, and it was here that the establishment of the Kingdom of Italy was proclaimed on March 14, 1861. It is fitting that this now be the home of the Museum of the Risorgimento, which commemorates the movement that made unification possible and in which Turin played such an important role. This is the largest museum of its kind, with memories and relics of the campaign for Italian unity and of the two world wars in 30 rooms. While this may sound overwhelming, the museum is so well organized and its displays are so well presented with interactive exhibits, films and audio tours that it creates a fascinating story even for those not well versed in Italian history.
Address: Via Academy of Sciences 5, I-10100, Turijn
Where to Stay in Turin for Sightseeing
We recommend these wonderful hotels in Turin with easy access to the city’s main attractions:
- NH Collection Torino Piazza Carlina: minimalist luxury, great location, restored old building, rooftop terrace, pretty courtyard.
- Turin Palace Hotel: elegant mid-range hotel, rooftop terrace with city views, free breakfast buffet, beautiful spa with Turkish bath and sauna.
- TownHouse 70: affordable boutique hotel, friendly staff, stylish decor, well-appointed rooms and bathrooms.
- Residence Sacchi: budget rates, near the train station, modern apartments with a kitchenette.
Read also:
