Sights in Turin

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Discovering Torino means exploring twenty centuries of history. Walking along its streets is like visiting an open-air museum. Palazzo Carignano, designed by Guarini, was home to the first Italian Parliament. Today it houses the Museum of the Risorgimento. Also by Guarini in the Baroque Piazza Carignano is the Galleria Sabauda and the Egyptian Museum, which, founded in 1824, is the world's oldest and the second most important. It houses more than 30,000 items, including the black granite statue of Ramses II, the tomb of the architect Kha and a large collection of papyruses and objects.

In Piazza Castello, Palazzo Madama houses the Art Museum, currently being restored. Opposite is the church of San Lorenzo, and to the right the Royal Palace. Alongside the cathedral is the chapel of the Holy Shroud with the Dome by Guarini. The Holy Shroud has been conserved and periodically displayed here since 1864: an object of pilgrimage revered as Christ's funeral shroud, but also an object of historical and scientific interest. Following the new wing of the Royal Palace, one reaches the Palatine Gates, the entrance to Roman Torino. To the right are the Museum of Antiquity and the Royal Gardens. Going back towards Piazza Castello is the Royal Armoury, with one of the world's most important collections of arms. Behind the State Archive and the Teatro Regio is the area of the Cavallerizza, and in the same direction one can admire the Mole Antonelliana, the symbol of the city.

Turin's historical heritage includes the Savoy Residences; buildings of outstanding historical and architectonic interest, some of which offer an unusually lively range of cultural activities and exhibitions, whose interest is not only local.

The Savoy residences include all the palaces of Piedmont's royal family, the Savoy dynasty, as well as the castles of the nobility in the countryside around Turin and their town houses in the city centre.

Since 1997, this large collection of historic buildings has been recognised as a world Heritage by UNESCO. The buildings in Turin include the Royal Palace, Palazzo Chiablese, the Royal Armoury, the oyal Library, Palazzo Madama, Palazzo Carignano, Villa della Regina and the Valentino Castle. Outside the city there are the castles at Rivoli, Moncalieri, Venaria, Govone, Agliè, Racconigi, the Royal Hunting Lodge at Stupinigi and the country house at Pollenzo. All these residences are open to the public and are home to a variety of cultural events.

Some of the buildings are due for radical restoration work; in particular, the Venaria Royal Palace, in which visitors can already see the splendid and recently restored Galleria di Diana (Gallery of the Huntress Diana), will be the object of further renovation work that will restore the whole complex of buildings to its original splendour and allow it to be used as a museum.

With courtesy of Sightswww. comune.torino.it

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type:	general
World66 rating:	[rate it]
address:	Castello Cavour di Santena
tel:	(39) 011 597373

type:	Museums
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email:	info@castellodirivoli.torino.it
url:	www.castellodirivoli.torino.it
tel:	(39) 011 9565222

type:	Hotspots
World66 rating:	[rate it]
address:	Piazza Carignano
tel:	(39) 011 5621147

Sights in Turin

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