Piazza Carignano is a compact square in the heart of Turin, shaped by the warm brick curves of Palazzo Carignano. Designed by Guarino Guarini in the late 17th century, the palace has one of the most distinctive façades in Italian Baroque architecture. The square feels more intimate than the grand open spaces of nearby Piazza Castello and Piazza San Carlo.
The palace is central to the story of Italian unification. Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of unified Italy, was born here, and the building housed the Subalpine Parliament and later the first Italian Chamber of Deputies. Today, the Museo Nazionale del Risorgimento traces the movement that created modern Italy. Across the square, the 18th-century Teatro Carignano still hosts performances, while the historic Del Cambio restaurant is closely associated with statesman Count Cavour.
Piazza Carignano rewards a slow look as much as a museum visit. Pause to take in the palace’s undulating façade, the theatre and the streets leading towards the Egyptian Museum, cafés and chocolate shops. The square is easy to reach on foot from Piazza Castello or Porta Nuova station. Check the Risorgimento museum’s opening days before visiting, and avoid driving into the centre, where limited-traffic restrictions apply.