Piazza Carignano (Carignano Square), Turin

Carignano Square may measure only 289 by 108 feet, but its footprint on Italian history is far larger. Laid out in the 17th century during Savoy urban expansion under Duke Vittorio Amedeo I, it became a showcase for baroque ambition. The star of the square is the Carignano Palace, commissioned in 1679 by Prince Emanuele Filiberto di Savoia-Carignano and finished in 1685 to Guarino Guarini鈥檚 design. Its undulating brick fa莽ade is a baroque statement piece, proving that curves can make just as bold a point as straight lines.

The palace is also where national politics found a stage. It was the birthplace of Vittorio Emanuele II, later crowned Italy鈥檚 first king, and the balcony from which King Charles Albert declared the Albertine Statute in 1848, giving the Kingdom of Sardinia its constitution. In the 1860s, the same halls hosted Italy鈥檚 first parliament, turning the square into a symbol of the Risorgimento. Today, the palace is home to the National Museum of the Italian Risorgimento, where artifacts and documents retell the drama of unification.

The square doesn鈥檛 stop at politics. Across the way is the Carignano Theatre, while Del Cambio Restaurant and Gelateria Pepino add a culinary subplot with menus that have outlasted centuries. A statue of philosopher Vincenzo Gioberti keeps watch from the center, as if still debating ideas with passersby.

For visitors, Carignano Square manages to condense elegance, rebellion, and gelato into one setting-a rare combination even by Turin standards.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Turin. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "911爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Sight Name: Piazza Carignano (Carignano Square)
Sight Location: Turin, Italy (See walking tours in Turin)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Turin Introduction Walking Tour

Walking Tours in Turin, Italy

Create Your Own Walk in Turin

Creating your own self-guided walk in Turin is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Turin Introduction Walking Tour

Mark Twain once wrote that Turin鈥檚 streets are 鈥渆xtravagantly wide鈥� and its houses stretch 鈥渁s straight as an arrow鈥�-and he was not exaggerating.

Turin's story begins with the Taurini, a Celtic tribe whose name is tied to the word for 鈥渕ountain.鈥� They lived at the foot of the Alps before the Romans arrived. In 28 BC, the Romans founded Taurinorum here, designing it in their... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.4 Km or 2.1 Miles

Coffee, Food and Chocolate Tour in Turin

Among other things, the capital of Italy's Piedmont region 鈥� Turin 鈥� is well known for its rich culinary tradition, which includes long-standing coffee and chocolate culture. There are several cafes and coffee houses in the city that have been in business for hundreds of years.

The most notable of them are found in the historic heart of the city, such as the Caff猫 al Bicerin.... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.2 Km or 1.4 Miles

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