Palaces of Power

The centre of Turin was for centuries the hub of the Savoys' political power and the heart of the House of Savoy. Here stand the palaces where the court resided and where the government of the state was exercised. Today, the Royal Museums of Turin offer a fascinating visit through history, art and nature, bringing together in a single large museum project the Royal Palace, the Royal Gardens, the Royal Library and Armoury, the Savoy Gallery, ​​the Archaeological Museum, the exhibition halls of Palazzo Chiablese and the Chapel of the Shroud. The Piazza Castello area is dominated by the monumental Juvarra façade of Palazzo Madama – the seat of the Civic Museum of Ancient Art since 1934 – which forms a triangle with the dome of San Lorenzo and the nearby Palazzo Carignano