Itinerary - Piazza Solferino - Browse
THE DIAGONAL STREETArchitect Carlo Ceppi, who designed via Pietro Micca, rebuilt the area between piazza Castello and piazza Solferino in 1885. The new street disoriented Turin: unlike all the main streets, it didn't make a right angle! The Turinese called it "the diagonal". |
A FLYING KINGThe monument to Vittorio Emanuele II (at the crossroads of the "corso" with the same name and corso G.Ferraris) portrays the great sovereign on a high column. Looking at it in the evening from a distance, when it's lit by a powerful light, the king seems to be flying above the city! |
THE DEVIL'S PORTALThe first owner of the house on the corner between via XX Settembre and via Alfieri used to organise séances. One night the incautious sorcerer's apprentice wasn't satisfied with contacting any old spirit and he pushed himself to invoking the Master of Darkness, Satan himself. The devil, disturbed by the invocation, decided to punish him. In the morning, passers-by found the entrance to the building blocked by a heavy bronze and iron portal, which had appeared from nowhere and had hopelessly imprisoned the owner. |
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GARDENS AND BERSAGLIERThe garden in via Cernaia is dedicated to Alessandro Ferrero La Marmora, the army officer who founded the Bersaglieri corps in Turin. The monument, dating back to1867, is by Giuseppe Cassano, the same author of the Pietro Micca statue in front of the Cittadella (foto).The feathered "bersagliere" takes us back to a chapter from "Cuore", a novel by De Amicis dedicated to the parade occurring every June 4th at the "Statute Day". |
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TURIN'S HERODuring the night between August 29th and 30th, 1706 Pietro Micca saved Turin from the French.The Savoy king Vittorio Amedeo II had enlisted a group of soldiers to dig underground passages as far as the Cittadella. During the French siege, the Piedmontese would attack the enemy by exploding mines in the underground tunnels. That night Pietro Micca, having discovered that the French were getting into one of the passages, blew it up: he died in the explosion, but conquered the Turinese hearts forever! |
DE AMICISEdmondo De Amicis, the author of the renowned book "Cuore, lived at no. 10, via Pietro Micca".All the Turinese knew that and used to run after him under the porticoes to see his big Michelangelesque face. |
LA CROCETTAIt's the most delightful Turin district. Its villas and gardens are an oasis for the upper classes living here. |
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