Piazza San Carlo in Turin

A large pedestrian square in Turin, Piazza San Carlo is probably the most beautiful in the city after Piazza Castello. Over time it was successively called first Place Royale in the early 17th century, then Place d’Armes (mid-17th – mid-18th century) and even Place Napoléon during the Napoleonic era. It is also nicknamed the “Salon of Turin” because of its elegance and its social life, where its historic cafés – Caffè San Carlo and Caffè Torino – were frequented by intellectuals, nobles or politicians such as Cavour or Giolitti. It is surrounded by large arcades with their beautiful vaults as well as historic palazzi.
Events or concerts are held there regularly, including celebrations of Juventus victories.
In the centre of the vast rectangular space stands the equestrian statue of Emmanuel Philibert from 1838, and on the south side are the two twin Baroque churches, that of Santa Cristina on the left built in 1639 and on the right that of San Carlo in 1619.

Description and history

The Place Royale was inaugurated in 1638 during a development towards the south of the city begun around 1618 and desired by the Duke of Savoy (the Borgo Nuovo which also includes Via Roma), while the capital of the Duchy had been transferred in 1563 to Turin from Chambéry. Its style was inspired by French-style royal squares. It first hosted the market, and later gatherings, including military ones. It was renovated and embellished around 1750 and then dedicated to the Archbishop of Milan Charles Borromeo (San Carlo Borromeo in Italian). Moreover, at the corner of via Alfieri (the architect of the square’s renovation), a small painting recalls that the Archbishop of Milan wished to make a pilgrimage in 1578 to venerate the Holy Shroud then in Chambéry since the mid-15th century, and that the duke then transferred the relic to Turin to shorten the journey.

Dedicated to the Duke Emmanuel Philibert, following the victory of San Quintino, the equestrian statue was inaugurated in 1838. Emmanuel Philibert is depicted sheathing his sword, in an act of peace.
On the façade of the Palazzo Solaro del Borgo, three cannonballs can be seen embedded in the wall, a reminder of the French siege of 1706.

In front of the historic Caffè Torino, on the pavement, there is a representation of a brass bull, placed here in 1930.

The church of San Carlo dedicated by Charles Emmanuel I to Saint Charles Borromeo was begun in 1619, and its façade dates back to 1836. The relief on the tympanum represents Emmanuel Philibert with Saint Charles.
The church of Santa Cristina was erected in 1639 by the will of Christine of France on an initial design by the architect Castellamonte, and whose early 18th-century façade is the work of Filippo Juvarra.

This square was the site of the Turin Massacre, when on 21 September 1864, citizens demonstrated against the moving of the Italian capital from Turin to Florence. The security forces repressed ruthlessly, killing nearly 62 people.

Map and address

Piazza San carlo, Torino

Information

• Wikipedia article: en.wikipedia.org