The porticoes of Torino

If you’ve ever been to Torino then you may have noticed our lovely porticoes. They are without a doubt, one of the reasons why Torino is so elegant and regal. While no other city comes close to Bologna (with almost 40 km), Torino has the second most porticoes with 18 kilometers.

The oldest porticoes are found on Via Palazzo di Citta and Piazza Palazzo di Citta. Built in Medieval times, this street is where the market used to be held.

_mg_0648

_mg_0647

In the 18th Century, Vittorio Emanuele I of Sardinia, Duke of Savoy commissioned to have porticoes built to connect the Royal palace to the river so that they, The Royal family, could enjoy their walks in the rain and not get wet.

_mg_0662
The Royal Palace and adjacent Royal Library
_mg_0668
Porticoes over crosswalk

The photos below is taken on Via Po which is the street that takes you to the river. The first one shows a break in the porticoes at the intersection. This side, (the right side of Via Po) was for the citizens or commoners. The second photo is of the left side of the street. You’ll notice how the porticoes extends through the intersection, connecting to the next building.

_mg_0678

_mg_0680

What I love about walking under the porticoes is the insane amount of beauty. They were all built at different times and by different architects with their own style. The intricate details are what make them unique. The porticoes of Piazza San Carlo are just an example of what details you’ll find.

_mg_0705

_mg_0703

On Via Roma, you’ll see the more modern porticoes. These were constructed in two different phases, beginning in 1931. First from Piazza Castello to Piazza San Carlo then onto Piazza Carlo Felice with a final inauguration in 1938.

_mg_0683

_mg_0690

Not only are they aesthetically pleasing, they are functional. The porticoes shield you from rain and snow and keep you cool during the hot humid summer months.

_mg_0639

_mg_0642
so many lines.. it’s just stunning
_mg_0620
different styles…

So if you’re planning an Italian adventure, make sure to add Torino to your list of cities to visit. Rain or shine, you won’t be disappointed.

_mg_0708

img_1252
the glow of the Martini & Rossi sign can be found under the porticoes of Piazza San Carlo. Martini & Rossi.. founded in 1863 in Turin.

9 thoughts on “The porticoes of Torino

  1. That picture of “so many lines”–it really IS stunning! Who´d have thought that a rainy-day picture could turn out so well? Nice job!

    Like

Leave a Reply

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:

WordPress.com Logo

You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Log Out /  Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. Log Out /  Change )

Connecting to %s

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.