Piazza Carignano

The rectangular Piazza Carignano is one of the most historically and artistically evocative places in Turin. Centre stage is taken by the curved façade of Palazzo Carignano, a Baroque masterpiece designed by Guarino Guarini for Prince Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy-Carignano, on which work began in 1679. The square, commissioned during the urban expansion promoted by duke Vittorio Amedeo I, still retains the city's Baroque spirit and Risorgimento identity. The centre of the square is occupied by a statue of Vincenzo Gioberti, and the balcony of the palace is famous for the announcement of the signing of the Albertine Statute in 1848. As the inscription on the façade - QVI NACQVE VITTORIO EMANVELE II - recalls, the first king of Italy was also born here. Opposite the building is the Carignano Theatre, one of the oldest in Turin, built in 1753 by architect Benedetto Alfieri at the behest of Prince Luigi Vittorio di Carignano. As early as 1710, the building hosted performances in the Trincotto Rosso hall. Rebuilt after a fire in the 19th century, the theatre has welcomed personalities such as Goldoni, Alfieri, Paganini, Nietzsche, Bernhardt, D'Annunzio, Duse, Pirandello and Toscanini over the centuries. On either side of the theatre are historic establishments linked to Turin's gastronomic tradition. It was here, in 1938, that the “pinguino”, the first chocolate-coated ice cream on a stick, was created. A more recent invention is the Brioche al Cubo, a geometric and refined pastry that reinterprets the brioche in a contemporary key. Both creations are now symbols of Turin's confectionery excellence. All of the above make Piazza Carignano a perfect crossroads of culture, theatre and taste, where every element comes seamlessly together to create a unique experience that balances memory and modernity.