{"id":32973,"date":"2021-10-01T20:46:00","date_gmt":"2021-10-01T18:46:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bellitalie.org\/?post_type=destination&p=32973"},"modified":"2026-10-07T22:13:16","modified_gmt":"2026-10-07T20:13:16","slug":"piazza-castello-in-turin","status":"publish","type":"destination","link":"https:\/\/www.bellitalie.org\/en\/destination\/piedmont\/turin\/piazza-castello-in-turin\/","title":{"rendered":"Piazza Castello in Turin"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"photo<\/a>

View from the square towards the Royal Palace<\/p><\/div>\n

The Piazza Castello<\/strong> is a pedestrian square and the second largest in Turin. For centuries it has been at the heart of the city, as the historic centre of the power of the Dukes of Savoy. Renovated in 2006, it was designed by the architect Ascanio Vitozzi<\/strong> in 1584 under the impetus of Charles Emmanuel I of Savoy<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Description<\/h2>\n

On its three main sides the square is lined with arcades, and among the most important monuments of Turin are to be found there. An extension of the square with the Piazzetta Reale<\/strong> thus leads to the Royal Palace<\/strong> (Palazzo Reale), while in the centre stands the Palazzo Madama<\/strong> which was originally a castle to which the square owes its name. Also around it are the Royal Theatre<\/strong> (Teatro Regio), the Royal Church of San Lorenzo<\/strong>, the government palace and other public buildings. The Royal Museums<\/strong> occupy the buildings of the Royal Palace, including in particular the royal library, the armoury, and the picture gallery.
Around the <\/span>Palazzo Madama are three military monuments: the Statue of the standard-bearer of the Sardinian army dating from 1859, the Monument to the Knights of Italy created by Piero Canonica in 1923, and the statue representing the Duke of Savoy Emmanuel Philibert.
<\/span><\/span>Several major thoroughfares of the city converge here, including Via Garibaldi, which is one of the longest pedestrian streets in Europe, Via Po, and Via Pietro Micca and Via Roma.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the 19th century, the arcades of the square were vigorously enlivened by intellectuals, politicians and writers. It was neglected after the destruction of the Second World War, but regained its former splendour on the occasion of the 2006 Winter Olympic Games.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"piazza-castello-torino_5892\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Piazza<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"piazzetta-reale-torino_5752\"<\/a>
Piazzetta Reale<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"piazza-castello-torino_5751\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"casaforte-degli-acaja-palazzo-madama-torino_5747\"<\/a>
Casaforte des Acaja<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"palazzo-madama-piazza-castello-torino_5896\"<\/a>
Casaforte des Acaja<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"monumento-ai-cavalieri-d-italia-piazza-castello-torino_6171\"<\/a>
Monument to the Italian Knights<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n

Buildings on the square<\/h2>\n

Royal Palace and museums<\/h3>\n

The sumptuous Royal Palace of Turin<\/strong>, residence of the Savoys, is nowadays integrated into the Royal Museums, where one can in particular access the Chapel of the Holy Shroud, the Royal Armoury, the Royal Library, the Museum of Antiquities, the picture gallery and the gardens.
\u2192 Read Royal Palace and museums<\/a><\/p>\n

The Palazzo Madama<\/h3>\n

The Palazzo Madama<\/strong> was the seat of the Subalpine Senate and previously a residence of the Savoys. It preserves one of the facades of the original castle. In its place in the 1st century AD was one of the access gates to the city of Turin, the Porta Preatoria. The latter was later enlarged and fortified, until it became a castle and the residence of the Savoy-Acaja.
It was in the 16th century that the square was laid out, along with the Royal Palace; previously there were other structures linking the castle to the palace.
\u2192 Read also: Palazzo Madama and Museo Civico di Arte Antica<\/a><\/p>\n

The Royal Theatre<\/h3>\n

This theatre (Teatro Regio) was among the most important opera houses in Turin.<\/p>\n

Church of San Lorenzo in Turin<\/h3>\n

The Church of San Lorenzo in Turin<\/strong> (Real Chiesa di San Lorenzo) was used as a royal chapel and housed the Holy Shroud for a time when it was brought to Turin, today replaced by a copy of the sacred cloth.
Its origin dates back to 10 August 1557, when Emmanuel Philibert I of Savoy and Philip II of Spain promised to build a church if they won the battle against the French, and to dedicate it to the saint of the day.<\/p>\n\n\t\t