Turin, located at the foot of the majestic Alps, is an amazing and multifaceted city where epochs are intertwined, where elegant baroque architecture harmoniously coexists with modern buildings, and ancient parks with picturesque lakes are surrounded by strict lines of streets. In Turin, a relic of world significance is kept – the famous Shroud of Turin, Rousseau and Nietzsche lived here, Erasmus of Rotterdam studied at the University of Turin, and Alexandre Dumas liked to visit cozy cafes. Turin is one of Italy’s largest industrial centers, home to Fiat, Juventus and Toro football clubs, and home to major sporting events including the XX Olympic Winter Games. And Turin is also a magnificent architectural monuments, unique museums, theaters, large-scale exhibitions and historical cafes,
History
The history of Turin dates back to the ancient era – the first mention in the documents tells about the small village of Taurasia, located at the foot of the Alps and destroyed by the troops of Hannibal in 218 BC, and the name of the city itself comes from the Celtic word Tau, which means mountains. In 28 AD on the site of the ruins, the Roman colony Augusta Taurinorum was built, the scheme of the ancient streets of which can be seen in the layout of the roads of today’s Turin. In 1226, the city entered the Second Lombard League, and in 1280 went to Savoy and in 1563 became the capital of the Duchy of Savoy. In 1861, Turin becomes the capital of the Italian kingdom. Further economic prosperity made Turin one of the main industrial centers of Italy, and the FIAT company, founded here in 1899, became one of the largest companies in Europe. And finally, the XX Winter Olympics, held in Turin in 2006 glorified the city to the whole world, and the appearance of the city became even more attractive, while retaining its historical and cultural uniqueness. Today, Turin is preparing to become the center of another grandiose event – in 2011 there will be celebrations dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the founding of a united Italy.
Climate The
location of Turin provides a fairly mild climate with comfortable temperatures throughout the year, mostly above zero even in the winter months.
Average monthly temperature:
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | June | July | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| +4° | +6.5° | +13° | +18° | +23° | +26.5° | +29° | +27.5° | +23.5° | +17° | +9° | +5° |
Geography
Turin is located in the north-west of Italy, on the Padanian Plain at the foot of the Western Alps, at the confluence of the Dora Riparia River with the Po River. The city is the administrative center of the Piedmont region and the province of Turin. Turin covers an area of 130 sq. km and has approximately 900 thousand inhabitants, being the fourth most populous city in Italy.
Getting
there Sandro Pertini International Airport is located 16 km (30 minutes drive) from the city centre.
What to see
The centuries-old history of Turin is represented by numerous architectural monuments and other unique sights of the city, here are just a few of them:
Shroud of Turin – stored in a special ark in the Turin Cathedral of John the Baptist, is an ancient four-meter canvas, in which, according to legend, Joseph of Arimathea wrapped the Body of Jesus Christ after his suffering and death on the cross.
Royal Residences – an architectural group of seven buildings of great historical and cultural significance, in 1997 recognized by UNESCO as a World Historical Heritage Site.
Piazza Castello is the main square in the center of the old town, on which the Royal Palace is located, in which the Savoy royal family lived until 1865. The square is famous for two special architectural monuments: the palace of Palazzo Madama, and the church of St. Lawrence, the first location of the holy shroud.
Palazzo Madama – located in Piazza Castello, a palace built in the 18th century at the request of the king’s widow, with a balustrade, designed by Filippo Juvarro. The palace houses the City Museum of Ancient Art, which exhibits specimens from Byzantine times.
Church of St. Lawrence (Chiesa di San Lorenzo) is an old small baroque church, restored in 1563, famous for its interior decoration.
Mole Antonelliana (Mole Antonelliana) – a tower that is a symbol of the city, Turin analogue of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Built in 1889, the height of the tower is 167.5 m, it houses the famous Film Museum.
Palazzo Reale (Palazzo Reale – Royal Palace) – from 1660 to 1961 – the official residence of the royal House of Savoy. Many antiques, interiors and decor of the 17th century have been preserved in the palace, for example, the Chinese Cabinet, the richly decorated Throne Room and the Scala del Forbici (Scissors Staircase), created in 1720.
The Museum of Egyptian Art is a magnificent museum, the second largest and most important, after the Alexandria Museum of Egypt. Opened in the 19th century, it has a collection of more than 25 thousand exhibits.
Superga Basilica (Basilica di Superga e Tombe dei Savoia) – built according to the project of Filippo Yuvarro in 1717-1731, there is a mausoleum in the basilica where noble representatives of the Savoy dynasty are buried.
Palazzo Carignano (Palazzo Carignano) – an exquisite architectural work in the Baroque style, created by Guarino Guarini, this palace was the birthplace of the first king of united Italy, Vittorio Emanuele II, and also houses the Museum of National Revival.
The National Automobile Museum (Museo Nazionale dell’Automobile) is a museum that tells the history of transport from the 15th century to the present day.
Mount Capuchin is an observation deck that offers a stunning panoramic view of the city, there is also a museum of mountains and a functioning monastery.
Valentino Castle (Castles of Valentino) – located in the picturesque Valentino Park, the royal castle (former summer country residence, and today the architectural faculty of the Polytechnic University of Turin), built in the 17th century in the style of French castles.
Historic cafes
Turin has many restaurants, cafes and bars for every taste, some of which have not only their own traditions, but also historical significance:
Caffè Elena (Piazza Vittorio Veneto, 5) is a small cafe with a large selection of fine wines and snacks, Friedrich Nietzsche liked to visit here.
Al Bicherin (Piazza della Consolata, 5) is Alexandre Dumas’ favorite cafe, where you can taste the typical Turin drink “bicherin” (coffee, hot chocolate and cream).
Caffè Mulassano (Piazza Castello, 15) is a cafe popular with the nobility and artists of the nearby Teatro Regio.
Caffè Platti (C.so Vittorio Emanuele II, 72) is a cafe that was opened in 1875, the interior and atmosphere of that era are preserved here.
Confetteria Stratta (Piazza San Carlo, 191) is one of the most famous pastry shops in Italy, representing the delicacies of the Piedmont region.
Pepino (Piazza Carignano, 8) – a cafe with gourmet cuisine, representatives of the Savoy dynasty liked to visit here.
Sports Turin
Turin is famous for its sports facilities and achievements. The XX Winter Olympic Games presented the city and its environs with many new sports facilities, and the old ones were also reconstructed. These are the Olympic Village with an area of 100,000 square meters, designed for 2,500 guests, and the Olympic Stadium, opened in 1933 and completely reconstructed for the Olympics, and the new multifunctional sports complex Oval Lingotto. Also, speaking of Turin, one cannot fail to mention two famous Turin football clubs – Juventus (Juve) and Torino. Juventus, founded in 1897, in 1985 became the first football club to conquer all three European club peaks: the Champions League, the UEFA Cup and the Cup Winners’ Cup.
Shopping
Turin offers guests excellent shopping opportunities. The latest collections of fashion designers, exquisite boutiques and first-class shops are located in the city center, in Via Roma, Piazza San Carlo, Via Lagrange, Via Carlo Alberto, Piazza Castello, Via Po, Piazza Vittorio and in the Latin Quarter, and Crocetta is considered the “district of Turin ladies “. Also popular are Porta Palazzo, one of Europe’s largest outdoor markets, and Balôn at Borgo Dora, a huge Saturday flea market where you can buy rare antiques.
