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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
ROMA AND SURROUNDING AREA  The
itinerary starts from Via Roma, once called Contrada Nuova, which is today an
elegant walk, 750 metres long, and almost a "must" for luxury shopping. Despite
its XVI C. origins, the present Via Roma was the product of a complete reconstruction
between 1931 and 1937. The "lictorian" style is particularly evident in the second
part within the columns which join Piazza San Carlo to Piazza Carlo Felice. However,
the rationalist and cold style becomes more refined in the first stretch from
Piazza Castello to Piazza San Carlo, with its more baroque style twin columns.
We now arrive at Piazza San Carlo, the "Drawing Room" of the city, its elegance
often compared to the baroque elegance of Place Vendôme in Paris. The construction
of the Piazza was undertaken by Carlo di Castellamonte in the first half of XVII
C.: the beautiful, porticoed buildings are interrupted on the south side by the
facades of the so-called "Twin Churches", which were dedicated to San Carlo and
Santa Cristina. Both of XVI C. design, they were completed and modified in the
subsequent centuries. In the centre of the square is the equestrian monument,
the work of Carlo Marocchetti (1838), which depicts the Savoy Duke Emanuele Filiberto
victoriously sheathing his sword upon his return from the battle of San Quintino.
Instead
of proceeding along the second stretch of Via Roma, we can turn right into Via
Maria Vittoria, an elegant street in the city centre, which is above all renowned
for its numerous antique shops and art galleries. On the left, at the start of
the street, is the Church of San Filippo Neri (Via Maria Vittoria, 5), the work
of Antonio Bettino, which was begun in 1675. Following the collapse of the dome,
the project was entrusted to Filippo Juvarra; the neo-classic facade was created
on the intervention of the architect Talucchi. The internal area, where there
is only one nave, is the largest among the churches in Turin. Opposite the church
is Palazzo Carpano (Via Maria Vittoria, 4), the premises of a society bearing
the same name, designed by Michelangelo Garove around 1684, and subsequently extended.
The atrium with its spiral columns is truly beautiful and looks onto the neo-baroque
courtyard, in place of a garden, which has now disappeared. On the subject of
gardens, we must not forget to admire that of the Palazzo del Pozzo della Cisterna
(Via Maria Vittoria, 12), now the headquarters of the Turin provincial administrative
offices, inhabited at one time by the Dukes of Aosta. Going back towards Piazza
San Carlo, but turning right at the corner of Via Accademia delle Scienze, we
arrive at the Palazzo dell'Accademia delle Scienze (Academy of Science), once
the College of Noblemen. Two of the city's most prestigious museums are housed
in this XVI C. building, the Egyptian Museum and the Sabauda Gallery: two visits
not to be missed. The
Museo Egizio, is the most important collection in the world after Cairo.  It
documents the history and civilisation of ancient Egypt and contains about 30,000
exhibits - artefacts, papyri and funeral caskets. Among these is the exceptional
rock temple of Ellesjia, the intact tomb of Kha and Merit, the Isiacal refectory
and the imposing statues of Ramses II, Thutmoses I, Tutanchamon. The Galleria
Sabauda is one of the most important picture galleries in Italy. It was established
by King Charles Albert in 1832 and contains both Flemish and Italian works of
art, originating largely from the old Savoy painting collections (Gaudenzio Ferrari,
Beato Angelico, Giovanni Bellini, Guercino, Franceso Cairo, Titian, Orazio Gentileschi,
Van Eyck, Memling, Rembrandt, Jan Brueghel and others). Proceeding along Via Accademia
delle Scienze towards Piazza Castello the visitor finds himself in Piazza Carignano,
one of the most striking and elegant sections of the historical centre. The renowned
facade of Palazzo Carignano (Via Accademia delle Scienze, 5) gives the visitor
the impression of being in front of a theatrical scene. The severity of the terracotta
is lightened by the rich decorations, in particular, in the elliptic central area.
In this building, a masterpiece of baroque art designed by Guarino Guarini, both
the kings, Charles Albert and Victor Emanuel, were born. It was also the site
of the first Subalpine parliament, and then that of the Italian parliament, which
held session in the XVIII C. wing in Piazza Carlo Alberto. Inside the palace is
housed the Museo Nazionale del Risorgimento, the most important Italian museum
of the Risorgimento, and the only "national" one. It houses a collection of relics
and memorabilia relevant to the history of national unification, dating from the
siege of Turin in 1700: paintings, statues, leather bound books, weapons, flags
and uniforms. Directly opposite is the entrance to the Carignano Theatre, (Piazza
Carignano, 6), built in 1711, and then reconstructed in 1782, after a fire. Vittorio
Alfieri made his debut here with his interpretation of "Anthony and Cleopatra".
Crossing the courtyard of Palazzo Carignano, we arrive in Piazza Carlo Alberto,
which was opened in the middle of the XIX C., on a piece of land which was once
the palace gardens. Of the stables, there now remains only the neo-classical facade
(end 1700), incorporated into the present national library. The connection to
Piazza Castello is made by the airy structure of the Galleria Subalpina. This
arcade was built in 1873 by Pietro Carrera, who planned it as a bazaar. It conveys
the eclectic mood typical of the period, with diverse materials such as iron,
glass and concrete. 
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