City Tower, Turin
Palazzo Civico in Turin is a fancy 17th-century palace located in the historical center of the city. Centuries passed, leaders replaced each other, construction’s name and appearance kept changing. The only thing remained the same: city council still organizes meetings here and committed public officials swarm through the building. In some way, the palace represents Turin: its exterior is simple-looking, but on the inside, everything is diverse and rich.
History of the palace
In 1472 local authorities resided in the area where city hall can be found today. Meetings were held in noblemen’ houses for almost two hundred years. In 1658 city government purchased several buildings on Piazza delle Erbe that no longer exists under this name. One of them was Palazzo di Citta which was reconstructed and turned into a public institution.
Ascanio Vitozzi was the one who designed the building in 1619. Restoration works were performed under the guidance of Francesco Lanfranchi from 1659 till 1663. The city hall transformed completely defining the Baroque style for the square where it was located. In 1756 the building underwent some drastic changes. Architect Benedetto Alfieri decided to add two wings that enclosed Piazza del Butirro situated behind it thus creating a courtyard. He also designed porticos with arches and columns on the first level.
In 1817 a fire broke out inside. Gaetano Lombardi undertook restoration works a year later. During the rebuilding architect Giuseppe Maria Talucchi raised the central part of the city hall. After World War II it was considerably damaged due to bombardment. However, the heart of the city was quickly restored. Last touch-ups were made in 1995, right when the square was receiving an overhaul.
Architecture and interior
This three-story building was designed in the Baroque style. In its center, you can see an extra part built above the 3rd floor where a clock is placed. This part also used to have the coat of arms of Savoy and lion sculptures on it till 1799. Hidden behind the gallery with porticos, the first floor offers several stores.
On both sides of the main entrance, you can find statues of Prince Eugenio di Savoia-Soissons and Count Ferdinando di Savoia-Genova. The interior design closely resembles noble palaces from the 17th century. The entryway opens to a large foyer which then leads to the courtyard. The second floor that has main halls, numerous rooms, a loggia, and balcony can be accessed through the stairway in the foyer
Every corridor, hall, and room is decorated with frescos; each one is honoring all the good deeds done for the city. A beautiful marble hall is covered in depictions of some moments of Turin’s history. The Red Hall that owes its name to velvet and red fabric on walls currently serves as a place for meetings of the city council.
How to get
The city hall is located on ancient Piazza Palazzo di Città that dates back to antique times. There is also a monument to the “Green Count” set opposite to the building, in the center of the square. Palazzo Scaglia di Verrua and Museum of Oriental Art can be found situated around two blocks away. Royal Palace is a 5-minute walk from here.
Public transportation is easily accessible around here. You can catch trams that follow route 4 and buses 11, 19, 27, 51, 57, 92, N04, STAR2, W60 at Fermata Corte D'Appello stop. Besides transport mentioned above, trams that follow route seven pass through Fermata Garibaldi stop as well.
