The district of Turin

In the Turin area tourists can visit not only the famous Savoy residences but also small towns, ancient castles, sacred sites and natural beauty.

Savoy residences near Turin

Surrounding the city are five Savoy residences: the castle of Rivoli, Moncalieri Castle, the Residenza Reale Royal Palace, the castle of Stupinigi and the ducal castle of garlic. Four other Savoy residences located in the province of Cuneo .

• Castello di Rivoli is located on a hill near Turin, which offers a beautiful view over the city and the surrounding hills. In the Middle Ages (XI sec.) Was a fortified house. Between '500 and '600 was gradually transformed by the Savoy family in an imposing residence. Since 1984, houses the Museum of Contemporary Art , With 38 rooms, where you can experience the contrast between past and present, between the Baroque splendor of the Palace of Savoy and the works of contemporary art.
• Moncalieri Castle is medieval (XI sec.). E 'four corner pavilions and in the seventeenth century was converted into a palace by Charles of Castellamonte and later also graced by Filippo Juvarra and Benedetto Alfieri. Like the other Savoy residences is surrounded by a garden.
• The Palace of Versailles Venaria Royal Savoy is considered the largest and one of the residences of the Savoy family. Its achievement in 1659-75 was the architect Amedeo di Castellamonte, but suffered through the years also interventions Garove Michelangelo, Filippo Juvarra and Benedetto Alfieri. It was used by kings, not only for hunting, but also for large theatrical dances and receptions. To see are the salon and gallery Diana, the work of Juvarra, the church of S. Uberto and stable (very long 140 m). Annexed to the residence and the estate of the Herd, which includes a large park created in 1978 from the herd and in fact, one of the service buildings fitted out for herds of wild horses and necessary for the hunting of the king.
• Stupinigi Castle, built by Vittorio Amedeo II, was designed in 700 by Filippo Juvarra as Villa venaria. Is there a star with a large central hall from which radiate four branches cross of St. Andrea. On its top was placed a sculpture representing a deer. It is surrounded by a natural park d 1700 hectares. Today it houses the Museum of Art and furnished that showcases furniture, paintings, objects coming from other residences and Dukes of Savoy.
• The ducal castle of Agliè was originally a medieval building dating from the twelfth century. In '600 Philip Amadeo to the assignments Castellamonte to turn it into an aristocratic residence and hunting lodge. It includes 300 rooms and the beautiful Grand Ballroom, decorated with stucco and seventeenth-century frescoes. You can stroll around the enchanting park.

Other destinations in the Turin

• Ivrea . Early Roman colony (as shown by the remains of the Roman Empire), was then the capital of a Lombard duchy and then of the important brand of Ivrea. In the Middle Ages became a free municipality and finally went to the Savoy (XIV century). The historic districts of the city are the Borghetto and the castle hill. His symbols are the famous "red castle towers" and the famous carnival. The castle was built in 1358da Amadeus VI of Savoy to act to defend the passage of Baltea, the river that runs through the city, and the outlet of the Aosta Valley. Its four round towers with battlements you have a beautiful view over the city and surrounding mountains. The carnival, whose origins date back to the times of the French Revolution, is famous especially for the battle of the oranges, whose stage is the village square.
• L 'Abbey Novalesa rises 828 meters, in a picturesque natural surroundings. It is one of the most important historic and artistic monuments of the western Alps. It was founded by Cistercian monks in 726 and dedicated to St. Peter and Andrea. For centuries one of the most important abbeys of Europe, was also pillaged and destroyed by the Saracens. The church was rebuilt in the eighteenth century on the foundations of the Romanesque, of which you can see remains of frescoes dating from a thousand. Of the four chapels, the most important is to Sant'Eldrado, covered by two splendid fresco cycles (late eleventh century), well preserved scenes from the lives of the Saints Eldrado and Nicholas, inspired by Byzantine art.
• A Buttigliera Alta, at the mouth of the Susa Valley, lies the beautiful Abbey of St. Anthony of Ranverso, one of the most famous monuments of the Gothic internationally. Originally, the architectural complex comprised the church, the monastery and the hospital, where they were cared for leprosy and shingles. Now remain with the church bell tower and the sacristy, one side of the cloister, the hospital, the convent and the farms. The church has three naves, was decorated in the fifteenth century. In particular, the sides of the main door you see a column of the pillars, with capitals in green stone, which resemble those of the Sacred St. Michael and offering examples of medieval-heads of monks, demons and animals. Inside is the great altarpiece of Defendente Ferrari, as well as several works by the painter James Jaquerio.
• Il Castello di Masino, a Caravino, in the Canavese, was in the year one thousand torno a fortified building and was the residence of the family of Valperga for nearly ten centuries. In the Middle Ages was a typical fortress surrounded by a ditch. Today has a L-shape, with a large circular tower decorated with the family tree. In one of the towers are the ashes of the great Lombard King Arduino. The main attraction of the castle, Apart from the outside, are its rooms: the ballroom, the red parlor, the hall of arms, that of the badges, that of the Atlases. In addition, the gallery of poets and the rooms of the ambassadors of Austria and Spain and the chamber of the Viceroy. Over the centuries has hosted famous personalities such as Carlo Borromeo, Vittorio Alfieri, Massimo d'Azeglio, Gioacchino Rossini, Silvio Pellico. It is surrounded by a park, often used floral exhibitions or cultural events, including an Italian garden from which you can enjoy a wonderful view over the plains of Canavese. In the park you can visit the palace of the carriage, which exposes a rich collection of carriages of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Today the castle belongs to the FAI (Italian Environment Fund).
• The three valleys of Lanzo, narrow and long, offering visitors wonderful scenery. A Valperga Canavese find one of the sacred mountains, the Sacro Monte di Belmonte , Which rises over 700 meters from where you can enjoy a magnificent landscape. The sacred mountain was founded as a monastery in the tenth century by Benedictine nuns and became a sacred mountain from 1712. It consists of 13 chapels, each dedicated to a stage of the Via Crucis. Finally, you can visit the valleys of Pinerolo (the Chisone and Pellice), with the fortress of windows, which had 700 in the task of defending the borders of the Savoy state and town of Sestriere, an important center of winter sports, chosen as the site of many races of the 2006 Olympics.
• Sacred S. Michele . It is situated right at the mouth of the Val di Susa, in a strategic position to control passes. In the past served as a place of rest and refreshment for the pilgrims along the Via Francigena. From the terrace just after the entry of the iron door has a beautiful landscape on the surrounding plain. Another spectacular vantage point you in the front door of the church, from which you can see the hills of Turin, the Val di Susa in the Roller Rocciamelone. To see are the main staircase of the dead, the door of the zodiac, with capitals of the twelfth century and the church of S. Michael, who combines Romanesque and Gothic style and contains works by Defendente Ferrari and frescoes of the XV-XVI century. The church also contains 16 sarcophagi which preserve the remains of the princes of Savoy. The complex of the Sacra of S. Michael has inspired Umberto Eco in his novel "The Name of the Rose".

Near Turin, in addition to the mentioned Abbey Novalesa, you may encounter other examples of Romanesque art, as the baptistery and the church of S. Lorenzo (VII cent.), Settimo Vittone and the beautiful church of S. John of Piobesi Torinese (X sec.), With its frescoes are inspired by art Ottonian.
In addition to the Savoy palaces worth visiting the town of Chieri (of Roman origin, whose cathedral is an important building of the '400 Piedmont) located in the valleys of Lanzo, parks located in the hills and valleys around Turin (such as the Remembrance of the Superga hill, then the nature reserve the Forest of Vaj, Europa Park, the park of Lake Candia) and also the centers to the south of Turin, along the Po, like Santen, Carignan and Carmagnola.
Around Turin can also take tours of the beautiful areas of the Susa Valley, with its parks, Sacred S. Michele (with the wonderful portal zodiac) and the pretty city of Susa, an ancient passage point of the road between France and the Po Valley, with its interesting medieval cathedral of St. Right, and Avigliana, natural park with lakes Avigliana. Canavese, the northern part of the province of Turin, is an excellent destination for day excursions, with its parks, numerous lakes (including Lake of Candia and Viverone), castles, the city d'Ivrea and the Sacro Monte di Belmonte. The Val di Susa and the Canavese are famous for their excellent wine.
Finally, you can visit the valleys of Pinerolo (the Chisone and Pellice), with the fortress of windows, which had 700 in the task of defending the borders of the Savoy state with the mystery of the Iron Mask, and the town of Sestriere , an important center of winter sports, chosen as the site of many races of the 2006 Olympics.