THE BEATING HEART OF TURIN


Situated in the heart of historic city, in the centre of Piazza Castello, Palazzo Madama is one of Piedmont’s most symbolic monumental buildings. Built on the site of the antique gateway to the Roman castrum dating from the 1^st century BC, the Porta Decumana, it underwent various transformations, becoming a fortress, a castle and finally the official residence of two duchesses from the house of Savoy, who having become regents for their sons, styled themselves “Madama Reale”. The palace itself was then called by this name in the 19^th century. It was here in May 1848, that the opening session of the Senate of the Kingdom of Sardinia approved the Savoy dynasty’s intention to proceed with the unification of Italy. Palazzo Madama today houses the Museo d’Arte Antica (Museum of Antique Art), whose collections comprise over 70,000 works ranging from the medieval period to the Baroque: paintings, sculpture, illuminated manuscripts, majolica and porcelain, gold and silverware, furnishings and fabrics that highlight the wealth and complexity of ten centuries of artistic production in Italy and Europe. A number of priceless masterpieces are also on show, including a manuscript written by Van Eyck and Antonello da Messina’s Portrait of a Man. The visit follows a precise itinerary starting with the moat, which is dedicated to medieval ornamental stonework, where visitors can trace the stylistic and iconographic development of Piedmont’s monumental stone sculpture from the 12^th to 13^th centuries. Continuing on the ground floor, a variety of statues, paintings and precious items, dating from the 13^th to 16^th century and representing Gothic art up to the Renaissance, offer an overview of four centuries of Piedmontese figurative art. The apartments used by both the royal dowagers or Madame Reali (Christine of France and Maria Giovanna Battista of Savoia-Nemours) were on the first floor and now house the Baroque collections: a selection of furniture reflects the extraordinary development of cabinet-making from the 17^th to 19^th century in the Ballroom, while a choice of objects from Carlo Emanuele I of Savoy’s “Gabinetto delle meraviglie” (wonder cabinet) is exhibited in the Treasure Tower. Lastly, the second floor is reserved for the decorative arts. Offering a spectacular view of the city, the first room houses the majolica and porcelain collection, which is one of the largest in Italy. The tour continues to the room dedicated to textiles and another where you can admire ivory, gold, small bronze statues, Venetian blown glass and stained and gilded glass.

PALAZZO MADAMA
Piazza Castello 10122 Torino

Opening hours:
Grand Staircase and Medieval Court: Tuesdays to Saturdays 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. Sundays 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Museum of Antique Art: Tuesdays to Saturdays 10 a.m.– 6 p.m. Sundays 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. The ticket office shuts one hour before closing time. Closed on Mondays.

Admission Full € 7.50 Reduced € 6.00 Admission free on the first Tuesday of each month (except public holidays).

Further information for visitors Tel. 011 4433501 palazzomadama@fondazione torinomusei.it www.palazzomadamatorino.it

Disabled visitors Accessible layout. Wheelchairs are available on free loan.

How to get there Bus 11, 12, 51, 55, 56, 61, 68/ Tram 4, 13, 15, 18