THE SANCTUARY OF THE CONSOLATA
This is the spiritual heart of Turin. Loved by everyone, the Madonna of the Consolata, has an incredible history, even if there are documents missing from the early centuries.  The Piazza of the Consolata had already been included in the first core of the Roman city and there, in the 5th Century, emerged the church of Sant Andrea, where the icon of the Virgin, brought from the East, was worshipped. Such images are now lost, but thanks to a miracle, have been recaptured. A blind-man, recently arrived from Briançon, recovered his sight while circling it. It was on 20th June, 1104. Every year since then this event has been celebrated with a procession very dear to the people of Turin.
This church, not only a place of infinite piety ( also because it gave birth to the Missionaries and Sister Missionaries of the Consolata), is also extremely beautiful. Thanks to Filippo Juvarra and Guarino Guarini , the undulating curves typical of the baroque style, have unified the interfering events of time. It stands out also for the number of paintings of ex-voto, a clear indication of how the people of Turin feel towards their favourite protectress .
The Turin ‘Duomo’ is dedicated to the patron of the city, San Giovanni Battista. The construction of this building with its elegant and sober lines was started in 1491. The first example of Renaissance architecture in the city, enriched by extremely fine ornamentation, it is special in that it was built in marble instead of terracotta. Towards the end of the 1600s the marvellous Dome was added by Guarino Guarini .
On the eve of 11th April 1997, this great building, while covered in scaffolding for the restoration work that was taking place, suffered a terrible fire. So many Torinesi rushed there to help at the site which touched the soul of the city. Luckily, there was noone hurt and we feel deeply concerned about the damage done to one of the great symbols of Turin.
It is impossible to ignore the mystery surrounding the shroud, the sacred cloth said to have covered the body of Christ after his torture on the cross and all traces of which were lost at Costantinopole.  The shroud reappeared in Europe in 1353 and from then has been of prime significance to Christianity. From 1578, it has been kept in Turin at the Chapel begun by Amedeo di Castellamonte and finished by Guarino Guarini and can only be viewed during the ‘Ostensione’, the last time being during the 2000 Jubilee when hundreds of thousands of worshippers came to pay homage to this priceless relic. The history, myth and scientific research surrounding this extraordinary piece of cloth is fascinating and can be explored further at the ‘Museo della Sindone’, in Via San Domenico 28.
PORTA PALAZZO AND THE ROMAN QUADRILATERO
At the heart of the roman quadrilateral you will find cafè Al Bicerin in an area rich in traces of the past.  The most important remains are those of Porta Palatina dating back to around 25 B.C. which was one of the four access points to the city.
In medieval times, this construction (two towers linked by a wall) was transformed into dwellings (hence the name, and the vernacular Porta Palazzo) and everything as well. Since the last century a series of restorations have removed the superimposed architectural work carried out over the previous centuries.
In this area of Porta Palazzo, the most important market in Turin is held daily, and every Saturday there is the Balon-‘the flea-market’.
PIAZZA CASTELLO AND PALAZZO MADAMA
Piazza Castello is the centre of the city, not only geografically but also spiritually- all the eras encroach on one another in a extraordinary mesh. There is the roman Via Garibaldi, the Palazzo Reale from the 1600s, the ‘Duomo’ and the church of San Lorenzo which records the baroque of Guarini and Via Roma with its imposing monumental fascist structure, like the fascist skyscraper that looks over the square.  But all this goes together in a wonderfully organic way. The elements integrate perfectly.
The remarkable thing about this ability to bring all these elements together can be seen in the centre of the square- Palazzo Madama. Built on the Roman foundations of Porta Pretoria (whose remains are still visible), it has a main structure that dates back to 1200. The facade was designed by Juvarra, who added a monumental stone and stucco staircase. Palazzo Madama is the perfect symbol of the historic building of the city.
Turin is a city of anthology, not a novel, and a reference-book of quotes.
(Lidia Ravera – Genteviaggi)
A centuries-old synthesis in stone, Piazza Castello is the heart of the City
( Milena Ercole- La Cucina Italiana)
THE PALACE AND THE ROYAL GARDENS
The Palazzo Reale in Turin looks onto Piazza Castello with a pretty square all around. The outside has been superbly restored and pays homage to the history surrounding this residence.  Created as residence of the Bishop and done up in the mid-1600s by Amedeo di Castellamonte, it was the Royal home in 1713. The apartments have a wonderful offering of tasteful furnishings over the centuries, with rooms painted in frescoes and carvings, with the finest examples of stucco, porcelain, priceless paintings and vast tapestries. The windows look out over the park, wonderfully designed by the 17th century French architect André Le Notre, also responsible for the gardens at Versailles. Today it is comforting to stroll through the centuries -old trees, the fountains and the flowering rose-beds.
Al Bicerin is only a short walk from the Royal Palace, which at that time was the centre of a city dominated by the powerful Savoy family. No doubt the café was filled with plenty of chatter about the intrigue of palace life.
(Jo McKenna – Italy Down Under- The National Magazine of Italian Australian affairs and culture)
PALAZZO FALLETTI DI BAROLO
This grand palace, built towards the end of the 1600s became the property of the Marquis of Barolo half a century later. Silvio Pellico came here to recover from his prison sentence in the peace and quiet of the library which he was entrusted with running. The lavishly decorated rooms and the exquisite furniture are fine examples of the elegance of Turin when it was the Capital city.
Via delle Orfane 7.
- Informazioni: + 39 011 4360311
Walk along this pedestrian street that starts at Palazzo Madama in Piazza Castello.  And while you are admiring the baroque buildings, the churches, the ancient signboards of chemists… remember that this street existed in the old roman times, and that you are walking in the footsteps of who knows how many others. This is Via Garibaldi, the ancient dristrict of dora Grossa of the centuries-old Decumanus Maximus.
THE MOST EXCITING NIGHT IN TURIN
The idea of a grey and worn out Turin belongs to the past…in recent years the city has woken up with a burst of energy both at day and night.
 All around the Bicerin and the city, hundreds of new places have opened: wine bars, discopubs, traditional and ethnic restaurants, frequented by all types. In the summer outside in Piazza della Consolata, Piazza Emanuele Filiberto, Via Bellezia and Piazza Carlina it is full of festive tables. And in winter? Come and enjoy the warmth of a welcoming locale, hopefully with a cup of steaming hot chocolate…
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