Palazzo Carignano

Palazzo Carignano

Palazzo Carignano is a historic building in the center of Turin, Italy, currently housing the Museum of the Risorgimento, renowned for its distinctive circular façade. It was once the private residence of Prince Carignano, hence the name.

Palazzo Carignano belonged to Prince Emmanuel Philibert of Carignano, son of Prince Thomas Francis of Carignano and his French wife, Marie de Bourbon, Countess of Soissons. Construction began in 1679, when the prince was already 51 years old. He commissioned the Savoyard architect Guarino Guarini to design a suitable residence for the House of Savoy. Guarini designed a massive square building with a restrained and linear east façade facing Piazza Carlo Alberto, while the west façade, located at 5 Via Accademia delle Scienze, features an extremely unique oval shape with undulating, luxurious lines.

Palazzo Carignano is a red-brick building in typical Baroque style, featuring an oval concave-convex façade. This type of façade appears only once more in Italy, at Borromini’s San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane in Rome, and its interior is lavishly decorated. Palazzo Carignano is the birthplace of Princess Marie Louise of Lamballe, a close friend of Queen Marie Antoinette of France, who lost her life in 1792 because of her. Prince Charles Emmanuel of Carignano was also born here in 1770. More importantly, this is the birthplace of Victor Emmanuel II, the first King of Italy (1820), making it a site of great historical significance.

Palazzo Carignano

Why go: One of Turin’s most important historic buildings

Continent: Europe【Europe】

Country/Region: Italy[Italy]

Province/State: Piedmont Region [Piemonte Region]

City: Turin [Turin]