Palace Square

Palace Square, or Castello Square, is the main square of Turin and the favorite place of the locals and tourists. According to history, 2000 years ago, at the place of it, the eastern gates of the city were installed. After Rome Empire has fallen, the citizens built the palace, defending them. 

During the Middle Ages, the palace was the propriety of Savoy House. Some of the constructions were taken away to free the space for important events. But the radical changes took place in the 16th century when Turin became the capital of Savoy. The rebuilding was under the management of Ascanio Vitozzi, a famous architect. He should create a modern central square for the royal family. But Vitozzi did not finish his work. After his death, several masters were working on the construction. The last one was an architect Benedetto Alfieri. At the beginning of the 20th century the place was asphalted, and in the 1990s it became pedestrian.

Nowadays, Palace Square is in second place by its size in the world. It is surrounded by the sights, one of them – a Royal Palace. Previously, it was a residence of Savoy kings, now it is a museum. The next palace is Madama palace in the center of a square. These two buildings are included in the UNESCO list. Other sights as Royal Opera House, Littoria Tower, St. Lorenzo Church are also placed there.