Top 10 Amazing Facts about the City of Turin in Italy

Montage of Turin, Italy. Clockwise from top: Panorama of Turin, Borgo Medioevale, Palazzo Madama, Piazza San Carlo, Gran Madre and Monte dei Cappuccini on the river Po, Mole Antonelliana, Royal Palace – By Eccekevin – Wikimedia Commons

Top 10 Amazing Facts about the City of Turin in Italy

Turin is a city in northern Italy. It is an important business and cultural hub for Italy and the piedmont region. serves as the capital of both the metropolitan city of Turin and the Piedmont region.

The city is primarily situated on the western bank of the Po River, in front of the Susa Valley, and is encircled by Superga Hill and the western Alpine arch.

About 880,000 people call Turin home as of February 2020. It is Italy’s fourth-largest city after Naples, Milan, and Rome.

The city spans 130 square kilometers in total (50 square miles) with an average height of 239 meters (784 feet) above sea level. Below are some crucial facts about Turin.

1. Turin Was the First Capital of Italy

In 1802, Turin was annexed by the French Empire like the rest of Piedmont. Consequently, the city became the Po department’s commune (prefecture) until the falloff Napoleon in 1814.

After Napoleon’s fall, the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia was reinstated with Turin as its capital. The Kingdom of Italy was proclaimed in 1861 with Turin as its capital.

This was mainly because it was the intellectual and political center of the Risorgimento movement. Turin retained its status as the capital of Italy until 1865. This was when it was moved to Florence and later to Rome.

2. Home of the House of Savoy

Front of the royal palace of Turin – By Fredericks – Wikipedia

The House of Savoy was a royal dynasty established in 1003 in the historical Savoy Region. The dynasty, through gradual expansion, consolidate power and had an absolute rule of the Kingdom of Sicily by 1713.

Using a junior branch, in its ranks, the dynasty led the Italian unification in 1860 and ruled the Kingdom of Italy afterward. During this time, Turin was the home of the House of Savoy.

Their rule, however, lasted until 1946. This was when civil discontent led to the abolishment of the monarch system and adopted the modern Italic Republic. Italy’s Royal Palace of Turin is a historic building that used to house the royal family during their rule.

3. The City Is Sometimes Known as The Cradle of Italian Liberty

It is common to refer to Turin as “the cradle of Italian liberty.” This is because many well-known politicians who took part in the “Risorgimento,” or Reunion of Italy, were born in Turin.

The Risorgimento was a social and political movement in Italy. It resulted in the movement of unification of several states in the Italian Peninsula into a single state in 1861. The new state is what is known today as Italy.

4. Turin Has a Rich Sporting Heritage

Juventus Stadium, home of Juventus F.C. – By Valery Ded – Wikimedia Commons

The city is home to two gargantuan football teams. These are Juventus F.C. and Torino F.C. Juventus (nicknamed the Old Lady), which was founded in 1897 and has achieved great local and international glory. Torino F.C. was founded in 1906 and like their local rivals, they have achieved a lot both locally and internationally.

The 2006 Winter Olympics were held in Turin. Several competitions and tournaments made their debuts at the Turin Olympics. They include; the mass start biathlon, team sprint cross-country skiing, snowboard cross, and team pursuit speed skating.

5. It Is Among the Top 250 Tourist Destinations in The World

Entrance of the museo egizio, Turin (Italy) – By Georgius LXXXIX – Wikipedia

Generally speaking, Turin is an extremely beautiful city. There are various monuments, museums, and other sites. These attractions are enough for it to rank as the tenth most visited city in Italy.

On a global scale, Turin is among the world’s top 250 tourist destinations. There are some popular museums in the city such as the Egyptian museum and the National Automobile Museum.

The Allianz Stadium, Juventus’ stadium is also a major tourist attraction. The stadium brings in visitors from all over for local or European games.

Other major tourist attraction sites are the Palazzo Reale and Armeria Reale (Royal Armory) and the Mole Antonelliana (Museo Nazionale del Cinema).

6. Turin Is Often Referred to As the City of Magic

Turin is thought to possess two souls. One is associated with good white magic and the other with wicked black magic.

According to the coordinates, Turin is one of the vertexes of the triangle of white magic with Prague and Lyon being the other two. Because of this, it is referred to as a “City of Magic”.

Additionally, it is located on the black magic nexus, which also includes San Francisco and London. The infamous Piazza Statuto is where inmates were once tried and put to death, to ward off black magic.

7. The Shroud of Turin Is Displayed in The City

Shroud of Turin: modern photo of the face, positive (left), and digitally processed image (right) – By Dianelos Georgoudis – Wikipedia Commons

The Shroud of Turin is not frequently displayed in public. When visiting the city cathedral, you can see the chest where it is kept, but you won’t be able to see the sacred sheet.

However, the Pope puts it on display once in a while on designated dates. 2025 is the next scheduled appearance. Additionally, there is a museum devoted to the sacred fabric.

8. There Is a Distinctive Local Cuisine in Turin

Bicerin chocolate drink served in its trademark rounded glass – By Jeremy hunsinger – Wikipedia

The local cuisine features a specific type of pizza. That is the Pizza al padellino or pizza al tegamino. It is essentially a small-sized, thick-crust, deep-dish pizza generally sold in various Turin pizza joints.

The so-called “bicerin,” a typical hot beverage comprised of espresso, sipping chocolate, and whole milk and served piled in a small, rounded glass, is another famous local beverage.

Turin is also well known for chocolate production. Especially its traditional ingot-shaped chocolate known as gianduiotto. Other foods include snack foods such as tramezzini and MoleCola, an Italian Coca-Cola.

9. The City Ranks Third in Italy for Economic Strength

After Milan and Rome, Turin ranks third in Italy on the merits of its economic strength. It has a GDP of $58 billion accounting for around 8% of Italy’s total GDP. As of 2010, it was listed as a Gamma-level city.

In terms of purchasing power, Turin is the world’s 78th richest city. Turin is also home to several high-profile organizations and companies. This is including; Maserati, Ghia, Martini & Rossi, and Alfa Romeo among others.

10. Turin Has a Prominent Automotive Industry

The automotive industry in Italy is quite large with over 2,131 firms. Turin has several companies in the industry that play a role in this.

Some of these companies include Alfa Romeo, Lancia, and Fiat which are leading automotive companies.