The city of Turin (Torino in Italian) is often written off as an industrial city and overlooked by tourists who pass quickly by onto the surrounding vineyards and rice fields of Piedmont. However, to miss this Baroque architectural gem during your travels to Piedmont would be a mistake.

Torino offers elegant Baroque cafes, delicious Gianduiotti (hazelnut chocolates) and a charming old Baroque city, giving tourists a glimpse into life of the Savoy court.

The powerful Piedmontese Savoy kings chose Turin as their capital in 1563.  However, it was not until the arrival of the great Baroque architect Guarino Guarini  to the city in 1666 that the Baroque style, which has come to define the modern city, gained momentum.  This was exactly the same time that the Baroque in Rome had lost momentum (note that the great Roman Baroque architect Borromini died in 1667); accordingly, Turin (and Piedmont more generally) became the new center for the Baroque style and remained so for the next 100 years.

Walking Tour of Baroque Turin

This walking tour, which can be done in a few hours, guides you through some of Turin’s most beautiful sites, including several off-the-beaten-path highlights.  Works by all three of Turin’s great Baroque architects are represented: Guarino Guarini (1624-1683), Filippo Juvarra (1678-1736), and Bernardo Vittone (1702-70).

1. Your starting point should, of course, be Palazzo Reale. All of the big name architects to pass through the Savoy court – Vitozzi, Morello, Juvarra, and Alfieri – made a contribution of some kind to this royal residence. The interior rooms are simply stunning and a true testament to the theatricality of Baroque and Rococo art. Be sure to take a stroll through the gorgeous gardens attached to the palazzo.
2. From here you are just a few seconds away from Palazzo Madama where you can admire two masterpieces by Juvarra: the masterful Scalone Juvarriano (staircase) and the building’s beautiful undulating facade (notice how this is enhanced as the protruding elements are lighter in color).


Interior Dome of Chiesa di San Lorenzo

3. Heading toward the back of the piazza you’ll come to two Guarini masterpieces: la Chiesa di San Lorenzo (church) built between 1666-168 and la Cappella della Santa Sindone (chapel) built betwen 1668 and 1694. Guarini’s works are, in our opinion, the most visually compelling of all of the Baroque sites in Turin. Both are discussed in detail in our Approach Guide to Italy: Italian Baroque.
4. From here we suggest you take Via Garibaldi and follow it to Piazza Statuto. A number of the gems of the Piedmontese Baroque await you along this street (and on nearby side streets): la Chiesa di San Francesco d’Assisi designed by Vittone and Mario Ludovico Quarini; la Chiesa di Santa Maria di Piazza (this is another highlight stop; discussed in detail in our Approach Guide to Italy: Italian Baroque), a work also by Vittone; la Chiesa del Carmine by Juvarra; and the Military Quarters (on via del Carmine, at the corner with corso Valdocco) built by Juvarra between 1716 and 1728 and later touched up by Ignazio Birago di Borgaro in 1768.

Recommended Travel Guide for Turin (Torino), Italy

The Italian Baroque

The emotionally charged Baroque style first emerged in Rome and then spread throughout the Italian peninsula, with each location bringing to the movement unique architectural elements and sculptural style. Whether you plan to visit Rome, Venice, Naples, Sicily, Torino or Puglia, this guide will draw you into the action as you visit each site.  Learn more about the Baroque sites of Torino and in the rest of Italy.

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