Piazza San Carlo

Piazza San Carlo, nicknamed by the locals the living room of the city, is one of the most important squares in Turin.

The square is located in the historical center of the city, bordered by Via Santa Teresa and Via Maria Vittoria to the north, and by Via Vittorio Alfieri and Via Giovanni Giolitti to the south.

Via Roma, which passes through the center of the square, connects Piazza San Carlo with Piazza Castello, to the north, and with Piazza Carlo Felice, to the south.

SHORT HISTORY OF PIAZZA SAN CARLO

When Turin became the capital of the Duchy of Savoy in 1563, it was decided to expand the city towards the south, creating the so-called Borgo Nuovo.

The idea began to materialize in 1617, when the architect Carlo di Castellamonte was called to design both the Contrada Nuova, now Via Roma, and the current square.

The works for the square began in 1618 and were completed in 1638. The square was inaugurated during the same year by Christine of France, widow of Vittorio Amedeo I, and named Piazza Reale (Royal Square).

The perimeter arcades were built later, between 1643 and 1646. During this period, the square was used both as a market area and as a meeting point for the Turin patriciate.

After 1650, the square was used for military gatherings, and was renamed to Piazza d’Armi.

Around the middle of the 18th century, with the abandonment of the square for military use, new embellishment interventions of the porticoes were carried out by Benedetto Alfieri.

Towards the end of the 18th century, the square took on its current appearance, and was dedicated to San Carlo Borromeo, after one of the twin churches located on its southern side.

During the Napoleonic occupation of Turin, Piazza San Carlo took the temporary name of Place Napoléon (Napoleon Square).

On November 4, 1838, the day of the feast of San Carlo Borromeo, the monument to Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, work of Carlo Marochetti, was inaugurated in the center of the square.

On September 21, 1864, one of the most tragic events in the history of Turin took place in Piazza San Carlo. The locals peacefully protested in the square against the decision to move the capital from Turin to Florence, but the public forces were ruthless in repressing the protest. According to some sources, 184 people died.

With the decision to completely rebuilt Via Roma, the northern side of Piazza San Carlo underwent a massive renovation between 1931 and 1937, as did the nearby Galleria San Federico.

In 2004, in anticipation of the tourist events related to the XX Olympic Winter Games of 2006, Piazza San Carlo became a pedestrian area. At the same time, an underground car park was built.

ARCHITECTURE OF PIAZZA SAN CARLO

Piazza San Carlo has a rectangular shape, 168 meters long and 76 meters wide, with a surface area of 12,768 square meters.

In the center of the square stands the Monument to Emanuele Filiberto di Savoia, also known as Caval ëd Bronz (Bronze Horse, in Piedmontese), which depicts the duke in the act of sheathing his sword after the victory of San Quentin.

In the eastern part of the square, there is Palazzo Solaro del Borgo, a long three-storey building, with an elegant facade and porticoes, designed by Castellamonte for the Marquis De Senantes, and remodeled later by Benedetto Alfieri for the Isnardi di Caraglio. In 1782, the palace was bought by the Solaro del Borgo family.

In the western part of Piazza San Carlo, we can find Palazzo Guido Villa, another long three-storey building, with the same elegant facade and porticoes designed by Castellamonte for the Marquis Guido Villa.

In the northwestern side of the square, there is Galleria San Federico, built by Federico Canova and Vittorio Bonadè Bottino in 1934, on the already existing Galleria Geisser.

In the southern part of the square, there are the two so-called twin churches, the Church of Santa Cristina, on the left, and the Church of San Carlo, on the right, both with facades in Baroque style.

The Church of San Carlo was built in 1619, with a facade by Ferdinando Caronesi of 1835, while the Church of Santa Cristina was erected in 1639 by Carlo di Castellamonte, with a facade by Filippo Juvarra of 1716.

TIP: If you want to admire the beautiful historical center of Turin, including Piazza San Carlo, and to learn about its history, you can take a guided tour.

HOW TO GET TO PIAZZA SAN CARLO

Piazza San Carlo is located about 550 meters away from the Porta Nuova railway station. Here, there is also the closest Metro station, Porta Nuova, on the Metro Line M1.

The closest bus stop is Roma, in Via Maria Vittoria, about 30 meters away from the square, on the bus Line STAR 1. The closest tram stop is in Piazza Castello, about 300 meters away, on the tram Lines 13 and 15.