The Mole Antonelliana is Turin’s defining landmark, its domed base and slender spire rising above the city centre. A glass panoramic lift travels through the building to an open-air terrace about 85 metres high, where views stretch across Turin’s baroque streets, the Po river and, on clear days, the Alps. The building itself is so recognisable that it appears on Italy’s two-cent euro coin.
Architect Alessandro Antonelli began the Mole in 1863 for Turin’s Jewish community, which had planned it as a synagogue. As the design grew taller and costs rose, the community withdrew and the city took over. The building was completed in 1889, after Antonelli’s death; its spire was later rebuilt following storm damage in 1953.
Today the Mole houses the National Museum of Cinema, making a visit as much about Turin’s film history as its skyline. Exhibits wind through the dramatic interior, while the lift offers a striking view up through the central hall. From the terrace, look for Piazza Castello, the hilltop Basilica of Superga and the long, straight avenues that give the city its distinctive layout.
Book lift and museum tickets online ahead of a busy visit, and check opening times and weather conditions before setting out: the lift can close in poor weather, while fog may obscure the mountain views. Late afternoon can bring softer light for photographs; bring a layer for the exposed, often breezy terrace.