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The beautiful city of Turin -
Recommended tours -
Esoteric tours -
Parks in Turin area -
Royal residences -
Canavese castles -
Alps strongholds -
Via Francigena -
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VIA
PO AND SURROUNDING AREA  From
Piazza Castello turn into Via Po, that goes towards the river which it takes its
name from. 710 metres long and 18 wide, the construction of the ancient Po district
was begun in about 1673, to designs by Amedeo di Castellamonte.
The rigorous harmony of the houses and arched walkways is partially interrupted
by the overhead terraces which connect the blocks of houses on the left, built
by order of King Victor Emanuel I, so as to constitute an uninterrupted line of
porticos from the Palazzo Reale: a "regal stroll" to provide cover in all kinds
of weather. On
the right is the parvis of the Church of San Francesco da Paola, Via Po, 16, built
following the vow made by Mary Christine of France, so as to have an heir to the
throne, and designed together with the convent by Andrea Costaguta. On the façade
(1667) is the great ducal coat of arms; the large altar was designed by Amedeo
di Castellamonte. Upon reaching the corner of Via Accademia Albertina, we suggest
making a small detour to visit the Pinacoteca della Accademia Albertina di Belle
Arti , a real "must" for art lovers. On show in the recently renovated rooms are
diverse and interesting works of art and sculptures, and the nucleus of 60 pictures
by Gaudenzio Ferrari and his school (XVI C.). Along
the same street is Piazza Carlo Emanuele II, called locally "Piazza Carlina":
following an edict in 1678, the square became the centre of the wine market while,
during the French Occupation, it was the place of execution using the guillotine.
Striking, is the monument dedicated to Count Camillo Benso di Cavour at the Palazzo
Roero di Guarene (Piazza Carlo Emanuele I, 13), with its facade attributed to
Juvarra, and the Collegio delle Province (no. 4), designed by Vittone, now a barracks
of the Carabinieri. On the south side is the Church of Santa Croce, built to a
design by Juvarra between 1718 and 1730. At the intersection of Piazza Carlina
and Via Maria Vittoria begins the area of antique dealers. Returning to Via Po,
continuing down to the end, we come upon the beautiful Piazza Vittorio Veneto,
realised between 1825 and 1830 to designs by the architect Giuseppe Frizzi, who
managed to masterfully dissimulate a seven-metre difference in the level of the
terrain, by sloping the buildings down towards the river. The Vittorio Emanuele
I bridge, built on orders by Napoleon, allows us to cross the river to the Church
of the Gran Madre di Dio (Piazza Gran Madre di Dio), scenically positioned at
the foot of the hill. The work of Ferdinando Bonsignore, it is a religious building
in neo-classical style, inspired by Rome's Pantheon, built to commemorate the
return from exile of the Savoy family (1814). An
imposing flight of width="200" height="21"urch, flanked by the statues of  Religion
and Faith. The dome-shaped interior is in grey marble; the crypt houses the Ossuary
of the Fallen of the First World War. Leaving the hill and returning towards Piazza
Castello, we go along the left side of Via Po and reach the building which houses
the Museo delle Arti Decorative - Fondazione Pietro Accorsi . In the rooms is
the museum made possible from the legacy of the Piedmontese collector, Pietro
Accorsi, who set up a superb collection of XVII C. items: paintings, miniatures,
sculptures, porcelain, engravings, bronzes and carpets. A little further on is
the Church of the SS. Annunziata (Via Po, 47), reconstructed in neo-baroque style
in the first decades of XX century. From numbers 20 to 28, the street is occupied
by the Palazzo degli Stemmi, an old charity hospice. Following the collapse of
the interior areas, it was renovated a few years ago. The stucco decorations which
grace its facade correspond to the family emblems of the 27 families who contributed
financially to the construction of the building. Turning right into Via Montebello
(no. 20), a close look can be taken at the Mole Antonelliana, the most famous
of the city's monuments. Built between 1862 and 1889, the Mole is the masterpiece
of the brilliant architect Alessandro Antonelli, from Novara. According to the
initial plan, the building should have become the Synagogue of the city, but after
some years the work was suspended, as much for financial reasons as for structural
ones.
The Jewish temple was later erected in the San Salvario area of the city. The
Mole Antonelliana, already used to host exhibitions, houses the entire collection
of the Museo Nazionale del Cinema. The last building in our itinerary is the Palazzo
dell'Università (Via Po, 17), built between 1713 and 1720, to designs by Michelangelo
Garove. The University building also opens onto Via Verdi (no.6); the elegant
courtyard, with cloisters on two floors, is well worth a visit. 
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