About Turin
Turin, Italian Torino, Latin Augusta Taurinorum, city, capital of the province of Turin in the Piedmont region, in northwestern Italy. It is located on the Po River near its junction with the rivers Sangone, Dora Riparia and Stura di Lanzo. The first destruction of Taurisia, which was laid by the Taurini, was partially destroyed by Carthaginian invaders Hannibal in 218 BC. It later became a Roman military city, better known as Julia Taurinorum and Augusta Taurinorum, which Emperor Augustus rebuilt as four closed quarters divided into 72 blocks (insulae). Remains of the walls can still be seen at the Palatine Gate and the Palatine Tower.
Rulers After Rome fell in the 4th century, the city was part of the Lombard kingdom and then the Frankish empire. Associated with Savoy in 1046 through the marriage of Countess Adelaide and Count Odo of Savoy, he recognized Savoy as superior in 1280 after a period of independence and conflict. Occupied by the French from 1536 to 1562, Turin became the capital of the Duchy of Savoy in 1563. It was besieged by the French in 1640 and 1706 (during the War of the Spanish Succession), conquered by Eugene of Savoy in 1706, and recaptured by the French during the Napoleonic Wars.
The city became the capital of the kingdom of Sardinia in 1720 and in the 19th century became the political and intellectual center of the Risorgimento, an Italian political movement. It was the first capital of the united Italy from 1861 to 1865. Turin suffered extensive air damage during World War II. Bishop since around 415 and archbishop since 1510, Turin is rich in ecclesiastical structures. Churches include La Consolata, which underwent many changes, including that of the Baroque architect Guarino Guarini in the late 1600s; Waldo Church (1853), the first Protestant church in Turin; and the nearby Basilica of Superga (1717-1731), long the royal burial church. Renaissance cathedrals such as San Giovanni Battista (1498), with the magnificent church of Santa Sindone (1694) by Guarini, contain the Shroud of Turin, a piece of linen long considered to be the burial garment of Jesus. The Cathedral and the chapel were badly damaged by fire in April 1997 and extensive restoration work was carried out. Palazzo Carignano, Turin
A ducal and royal city for centuries, Turin has many refined palaces. Madama Palace, which dates back to the 13th century, was inhabited by the widows of the 17th century Savoy. Used by the Sardinian Senate in 1848-1860 and by the Italian Senate in 1861-1864, it now houses the Museum of Ancient Arts. Palazzo Carignano (1679), the birthplace (1820) of King Victor Emmanuel II and immediately the meeting place of the Sardinian Chamber of Deputies and the first Italian Parliament, is now the National Museum of the Italian Risorgimento. The Royal Palace (1646-1658) contains the Royal Storehouse, and one of the finest collections of weapons in Europe. The Academy of Sciences (1678), formerly a Jesuit college, now houses the Museum of Antiquities, the Egyptian Museum and the Sabauda Gallery. Other buildings of the last century include the remains of an ancient castle; Mole Antonelliana, started in 1863 as a synagogue and later completed the city; The Turin Museum of Modern Art and the Museum of Contemporary Art; and many public monuments to important people from Turin’s past. Other museums present collections in mining, automobiles, mountains, cinema, natural history, zoology, paleontology and mineralogy. There is also a beautiful library.
The University of Turin was founded in 1404. Other educational institutions include the Polytechnic of Turin (1859), the gallery of the Albertina Academy (1652), the Giuseppe Verdi State Conservatory of Music (1867), the Institute of Business Studies and the Industrial Institute (1935) and the University Institute of European Studies. (1952).
Located on the fertile plain east of the Alps, Turin is one of the most important industrial and communication centers in Italy. It is an important road and rail link and has an international airport. Being the largest in the Italian car industry, Turin is associated with Fiat, which has its headquarters, and is home to the Fiat and Lancia companies that produce most of the city’s cars. By the end of the 20th century, however, as the automobile industry declined, the country sought to diversify its economy, tourism and manufacturing became more important. Aviation, football, rubber and paper industries are also important, as are tanning and leather, letterpress and lithography. There are electronics, metal, chemical, plastic industries. Chocolate and wine are popular products. In 20 years
BEST TIME TO VISIT TURIN
The best time to visit Turin is probably autumn! Visitors to Turin in the fall will find pleasant temperatures, many cultural events, and spectacular fall colors.
If you are looking for good weather for the garden, visit it during summer. The temperature is hot and accommodation can be expensive in August because there is not much going on.
Things to do in Turin
Before I visited Turin for the first time, I confess that the only knowledge I had about the city was its favorite object, the Shroud of Turin, the linen cloth that would have covered Jesus of Nazareth after his death. This attraction alone attracts visitors from all over the world (although you won’t be able to see the Shroud during your visit, it is the only church that is thought to keep it).
But Turin turned out to be much more interesting than its famous sites!
After spending a month on our Italian road trip through Piedmont and Liguria, we made Turin a half-way stop before heading north to Piedmont and exploring the small Italian western Lago d’Orta, the Swiss side and the last Milan. We didn’t go into our trip with a list of things to do in Turin, choosing instead to take the 4 days we’ve been allocated here to explore the historic city on our own with a few sightseeing tours.
From there, we share here some information about Turin, the main attractions and sights to see (lots of food and wine), and the amazing hotels we stayed at. Turin is truly one of the most beautiful destinations in northern Italy, a city worthy of all travelers.
And even though the city is big, this Turin, Italy travel list will point you in the right direction.
Palazzo Reale
The main entrance to the Palazzo Reale is in Piazza Castello. Built in 1646, it served as a royal residence until 1865. Today you can visit different sections of the palace:
A royal palace, with beautiful golden ornaments.
The Royal Library and its 200,000 books, including paintings such as self-portraits or the Codex and the Flight of Birds by Leonardo da Vinci. The Royal Armory and its magnificent collection of horses and their riders.
Galleria Sabauda, which exhibits paintings from the 14th to the 20th century
The Royal Gardens (free entry)
This beautiful palace is a must-see during your stay in Turin. I absolutely love the Royal Armory, it’s the most impressive thing I’ve ever seen.
Museum of Cinema / Mole Antonelliana
Located in the Mole Antonelliana, the National Cinema Museum is among the best museums in the city. Few people know it: Turin is the home of Italian cinema! It is not surprising that the city needs a great museum dedicated to the 7th art.
The show is well done and used a variety of things in the history of cinema, from the first camera to the helmet of the Star Wars saga. In the great room, cinema chairs are set up to watch movies broadcast on 2 large screens on the ceiling.
And if many people go to the museum, it is above all because of its special interest: a panoramic elevator and a transparent wall will take you to the platform Môle. The best place to have a 360 ° view of Turin.
Be patient as the queue can often take a few hours! But it is a unique experience to live during your stay in Italy. If you want to take the elevator, you must pay at the entrance of the museum. The Torino Card gives you discounts.
