Outline:
A Rich History and Cultural Heritage
Turin is a city that offers more than just its cuisine. With a history that stretches back to before the Roman Empire, it boasts a wealth of sights and attractions that reflect its significant role as the first capital of unified Italy in the 19th century.
The city was originally home to the Taurini, a Celtic tribe. In the 1st century BCE, Julius Caesar established a military outpost here to conquer Gaul, which is now modern-day France. This settlement was known as Castra Taurinorum, meaning “fortress of the Taurini.” It later became Augusta Taurinorum in honor of Augustus, Caesar’s successor and Rome’s first emperor. The name Turin is derived from Taurinorum. Remnants of the Porta Palatina, the northern gate of Taurinorum, can still be seen near the Savoy Palace.
Walking along Via Roma, which connects Turin Central Station to the Savoy Palace, one can appreciate the city’s Baroque-style architecture. The grid-like urban plan, with straight roads intersecting at right angles and buildings of nearly uniform height, gives Turin a neat and cohesive appearance. It exudes an elegance reminiscent of Paris, France. The palaces where the royal family and influential nobles once lived, such as Palazzo Reale and Palazzo Carignano, are grand and beautiful.
The Influence of the Savoy Family
The Savoy (Savoia) royal family played a crucial role in shaping modern Turin. Savoia is known as Savoy in English and Savie in French. Originally based in the Savoie region of present-day France, the Duchy of Savoy annexed the Piedmont region in the 13th century and moved its capital to Turin in 1563.
After the fall of Rome, Italy was divided into various states. However, in 1861, Vittorio Emanuele II of the Savoy family unified the country, making Turin the first capital. Four years later, in 1865, the capital was moved to Florence. When Rome, then a papal state, was annexed, it became the capital in 1871.
A Unique Landmark
Typically, the tallest building in an Italian city is the Duomo (cathedral). However, Turin is unique in that its tallest structure is not the Duomo but the Mole Antonelliana, a spire as sharp as a needle that soars above the other buildings. Standing 167 meters tall, it was completed in 1889 and would have been the world’s tallest structure at the time had the Eiffel Tower in Paris not been built the same year. It is such a representative landmark of the city that it was used as the emblematic image for the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics. The observatory on top offers stunning panoramic views of Turin.
A Transformation of Purpose
Construction began in 1862 as a synagogue, but frequent design changes by Antonelli and costs that far exceeded expectations led to its eventual abandonment. The Turin municipal government purchased it in 1877 and repurposed it as a monument to Italian unification. Today, it houses the National Cinema Museum. Until dictator Mussolini relocated the facilities and personnel to Rome to use cinema for regime propaganda, Turin was the center of Italy’s film industry.
Industrial Heart of Italy
Turin is Italy’s largest industrial city and the heart of its automotive industry. FIAT, Italy’s leading automobile company, is an acronym for ‘Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino,’ or the Italian Automobile Factory of Turin. FIAT’s first automobile factory was built on the outskirts of Turin. Over time, production lines have moved to southern Italy and other regions with lower labor costs. The vacant automobile factory was transformed into the Lingotto, a multifaceted cultural complex.
The Pinacoteca Giovanni E Marella Agnelli, which exhibits the extensive art collection amassed by the Agnelli family who founded FIAT, is truly remarkable. This collection showcases a wide range of artistic masterpieces and highlights the family’s deep connection to the city and its cultural heritage.