PALAZZO CARIGNANO, TORINO

Hello everyone, today we will take you to know the Carignano Palace. We are in Turin, it is 1679 and the architect Guarino Guarini began the construction of the palace under the commission of Manuele Filiberto di Savoia Carignano. But who was Guarino Guarini? Camillo Guarino Guarini was born on January 17, 1624 in Modena. He was a theoretical architect of Italian architecture, as well as a draftsman and author of works of mathematics and philosophy. Born in Rome, with the example of Francesco Borromini, Guarini was particularly active in the city of Turin, where he became one of the greatest exponents of the Piedmontese Baroque. However, you must know that originally the building was not as it appears today. Let's take a step back in time and discover what the original project of Guarini was. The palace originally had an open C plant on the gardens, at the bottom of which were the squares. With the passage of time, however, there were some changes. It is 1871 and the enlargement works started in the previous years have finally been completed. The garden was resized and a structure almost symmetrical to the previous one was added, thus forming the current quadrangular structure. This addition was created to house the Italian Parliament. Today, instead of the gardens, we find Piazza Carlo Alberto, from which you can admire the octagonal facade, and instead of the galleries we find the National University Library of Turin. In this image from above, it is possible to notice the point where the original building ends and where the octagonal one begins. Let's now look at the facade. We can clearly see the Baroque style characterized by the alternation of straight, concave and convex lines. The facade of the palace is baked and has several decorations. Surrounding the windows of the noble plan, representations of Indians refer to the adventures and undertakings of Carignano, including the victory in Canada, which he achieved alongside the French in 1667. The great decorative frieze, present on the main facade, recanted in writing, where Vittorio Emanuele II was born, was added in 1884 by Carlo Ceppi, respecting the Baroque style in Mattonia Vista. Now, however, it is time to enter. Here we are in the atrium open on the courtyard. Looking up at the ceiling, we notice its elliptical shape. We are now in the center of the courtyard, where we can observe the difference between the shades of brick, which reminds us that the building was built in two different moments. Let's go back to the atrium. Moving our gaze in the direction of the stairs, we see the surrounding environments, and this is the concept of open architecture of Iguarini. Here are the symmetrical stairs, decorated by the Luganese plasterer Pietro Somasso. Let's find out where they take us. We enter the hall seat of the Parliament on Balpino. But wait! The hall was not designed for that function. Originally, in fact, parties and receptions took place in this place. Later, with the project of Carlo Sada, it was transformed into an amphitheater room, with the seats of the deputies in a semicircle in front of the bank of the presidents and secretaries. This hall, where the representatives of the people on Balpino constantly conspired under the auspices of the House of Savoy to prepare the unity of Italy, leaving the example of the greatest civil and political virtues, was declared a national monument with a decree of March 4, 1898. The seat of the Presidency and the banks of the deputies hosted all the great protagonists of the Italian Renaissance. But although now full of history, the hall was insufficient to contain the parliamentarians of the United Italy. While waiting for the back side of the palace to be completed, with the new rectangular room of 800 square meters, the seats of the Italian Parliament were kept in a temporary wooden pavilion built in the garden. The hall, which was to host the Parliament, in which today we find the busts of the 14 presidents from 1848 onwards, was ready in 1871, but was never used, since in the meantime the function of capital city of the nation was moved to Florence. But to be honest, these are the apartments of the Prince, designed by Guarini for the Prince of Carignano and his court. It begins with the so-called apartment of midnight, called so because it is facing north, which, according to the documents, was the seat of the bedroom of Emanuele Filiberto. The frescoes on the ceilings are of the Milanese Legnanino. On the walls, the master displays allegories, mythologies and episodes of Roman history, all turned to exalt the owners of the house, the Prince Emanuele Filiberto and his firstborn Vittorio Medeo. In the apartment of midday, instead, called so because it is facing south, lived the Prince Eugenio di Savoia, famous commander of the imperial army. Here too, Legnanino shows off his genius on the walls, while the walls of the rooms are covered with mirrors and golden decorations, from which the name of gold salt. Our journey in the history of Palazzo Carignano has unfortunately come to an end. We hope you enjoyed it and above all that you did not get bored.