Visit Turin

The ancient city of Taurisia began as a Celtic or Ligurian settlement in about the year 500 BC. The name is derived from the Celtic word “Tau” which means “mountain.” Like the rest of northern Italy, the town eventually came under the sway of the Roman Empire. It became the site of a Roman camp, Castra Taurinorum, in the 1st Century AD. The town was overrun by the Goths, then the Lombards and then the Franks as the Western Roman Empire fell.

The city, now called Turin (which means “Little Bull” in Italian) became capital of the Duchy of Savoy in the 16th Century. The Savoys annexed Sardinia in 1720 and the city became capital of the Kingdom of Sardinia. But Napoleon virtually put an end to the power of the House of Savoy and occupied Turin in 1798.

Turin was occupied by the Austrians and the Russians during the Napoleonic Wars before Vittorio Emanuele I restored the House of Savoy and re-entered Turin in 1814. Nevertheless, Austria remained the true power throughout northern Italy until unification. Turin became the capital of United Italy in 1861, an honor it passed on to Florence three years later.

Turin adapted quickly to its loss of political significance, becoming first a center for industrial production during the WWI years and later a hive of trade-union activity and left wing political activism. Today, Turin is Italy’s second-largest industrial city after Milan.

The city has since looked forward to welcoming the international spotlight, having won the bidding for the 2006 Winter Olympics. Thus, Turin will be a prime tourist destination. However, there are other places to see in the city before and after the Olympic events.

Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist

Built between 1491 and 1498 on the site of three 14th-century basilicas, Turin’s cathedral is the city’s only remaining example of Renaissance architecture. It also happens to be home to Christendom’s most famous and controversial cloth, the Holy Shroud of Turin, a copy of which is on permanent display in the chapel in front of the cathedral altar. The shroud is said to be the burial shroud of Christ and many believe that his image is burned upon the cloth. The image is of a man 5 feet 7 inches tall, with bloodstains consistent with a crown of thorns, a cut in the ribcage, cuts in the wrists and ankles, and scourge marks on the back from flagellation. The chapel is somberly built in black marble. It ascends to an airy, light-flooded six-tiered dome, one of the masterpieces of Italian baroque architecture.

Museo Egizio

Established in the late 18th century, this museum considered to have one of the best collections of ancient Egyptian art, second only to those in London and Cairo. From then the museum has expanded and now holds 30,000 pieces many of which are discoveries from the Italian Archeological Mission in the last century. 5,000 years of art, religious artifacts and exhibits of daily life from the time of the Pharaohs are displayed here. Some of the treasures include the black statue of Ramses II, the book of deaths, the tomb of Kha and Merit and the rocky temple of Ellesiya. The most enchanting exhibit here contains everyday paraphernalia, including eating utensils and shriveled foodstuffs, from the tomb of the 14th-century B.C. architect Khaie and his wife.

Museo Nazionale del Cinema

Split across five floors, the museum leads visitors on a fascinating interactive tour of Italian cinematic history – from its birth in Turin to the present day. Love, death, horror and Turin are among the themes illuminated with movie clips in 10 chapels in the Temple Hall. Viewing areas are quirkily dressed to match the themes of the movies.

The museum’s first section depicts the development of motion pictures from shadow puppets to kinescopes. The rest is more of a tribute to film than a true museum, offering clips and stills to illustrate some of the major aspects of movie production. These range from Empire Strikes Back storyboards to the creepy steady-cam work in The Shining. Film memorabilia includes masks from the original Planet of the Apes, Satyricon, and Star Wars, together with Lawrence of Arabia’s robe, Chaplin’s bowler, and What Ever Happened to Baby Jane’s dress.

The Piazza Castello and Royal Palace

The porticoes of the Piazza Castello lead to the Royal palace, the official residence of the Savoy dynasty until 1865. Here one can view the Throne Room, the royal apartments and the splendidly laid out Royal Gardens. One wing of the Palace houses the Royal Armory, set up by King Carlo Alberto of Savoy, that is today one of the most important and comprehensive collections of weapons in the world.

Piazza Castello was designed in 1564 by Vitozzi. Besides the Royal Palace, the Piazza faces the Royal Theatre and the Royal Library (that houses Leonardo da Vinci ‘s operas). The Palazzo Madama stands in the middle. The Palazzo Madama’s baroque facade contrasts sharply with older medieval parts to lend the building a most fscinating appearance. The palace incorporate parts of an ancient Roman gate, which was converted into a castle during the Middle Ages. In the 17th century it became the residence of the Madama Reale or Royal Widow. In 1721 Filippo Juvarra embellished the palace with its baroque facade. The Palace housed the Subalpine and Italian Senate from 1848 to 1864. Today, it’s the home of the Civic Ancient Art Museum.

Porte Palatine

Porta Palatina is the most conspicuous portion of Roman wall towers. During the Middle Ages, the fortress was called “Palatium”, hence its present name. On the nearby Via XX Settembre , are some of the ruins of Roman Theatre, near the basement of the Royal Palace.