Turin

Turin (anc. Augusta Taurinorum; Ital. Torino), a city of Northern Italy, formerly capital of Piedmont, and for a time of the kingdom of Italy, is situated in a beautiful plain bounded by mountains, near the confluence of the Po and the Dora Riparia, 54 miles from the Cenis tunnel by rail, and 80 miles NW. of Genoa. It stands at the meeting-point of several great roads through the Alps, and strategically has been of great importance. Really a very ancient city, it has a very modern appearance: ancient moats and fortifications have been removed, and the place is famed for its handsome streets, squares, and gardens. Some of the finest are Piazza San Carlo, Piazza Castello, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele (perhaps the finest square in Europe for size, regularity of architecture, and beauty of situation), Piazza Carlo Felice, &c. Among the numerous churches the principal are the cathedral of San Giovanni, originally built in the 7th century, and reconstructed as a cruciform Renaissance church in 1498; San Filippo, the finest church in Turin; La Consolata, containing several striking statues and a wonder-working Madonna; La Gran Madre di Dio; and a Waldensian temple. On the summit of a hill near the town is La Superga, a splendid Basilica, raised by Victor Amadeus to fulfil a vow, and now the mausoleum of the House of Savoy; its terrace, reached by a cable-railway, is a favourite resort for the enjoyment of a glorious view. Among the 'palaces' must be noticed the royal palace, designed by Castellamonte, rather poor in outward appearance; the Carignano Palace, an odd building, by Guarini; the town-hall, designed by Lanfranchi; the university, with 210 professors and lecturers and over 2000 students, a library of 225,000 volumes and 2000 MSS.; the Accademia delle Scienze (once the Jesuit college), by Guarini; the Seminary; the Hospital of San Giovanni. There are of course innumerable schools or seminaries, military and technical colleges, and museums. The private palaces are numerous and vast, but not in a noble style of architecture. The number of statues is exceptionally great, and many of them are fine. Among famous natives were Gioberti, Cesare Balbo, Cavour, Marochetti, D'Azeglio, and the French mathematician Lagrange. The manufactures of Turin consist of cotton, woollen, and silk fabrics, carpets, velvet hats, paper, iron, pottery, leather, gloves, bijouterie, furniture, wax matches, tobacco, and liqueurs. Pop. (1700) 40,000; (1800) 42,000; (1881) 233,134; (1895) 345,000. Turin was originally inhabited by the Taurini, a tribe of Ligurians. It is first mentioned in history in the time of Hannibal, by whom it was taken and sacked on his descent into Italy. Turin became a Roman colony under Augustus. On the fall of the empire it passed to the Lombards, and became the capital of one of the thirty Lombard duchies. Charlemagne made it the residence of the Duke of Susa, whose line ruled till 1060, when the House of Savoy succeeded it. The place acquired importance when Amadeus V. made it his capital and residence, and built a castle. It was taken by the French in 1536, and was held by them until 1562. They once more took it in 1640; and in 1796 it was dismantled, and in 1800 united to the French Republic with the name of the department of the Po. In 1815 restored to the House of Savoy, it was the capital of Sardinia till 1860, and from 1860 to 1865 the capital of the kingdom of Italy. See works by Cibrario (1847), Promis (1869), and Borbonese (1884).