Strambinello
Hi everyone! Today I want to talk to you about Turin, a city full of history and culture located in the Piedmont region, in the northwest of Italy. With its 842,472 inhabitants (as of October 31st, 2022), it is the fourth most populous municipality of Italy and the heart of a Turin metropolitan area with approximately 1.7 million inhabitants.
A city with a rich economic and cultural heritage
Turin is a city of great importance for the country's economy: along with Milan and Genoa, it was part of the industrial triangle during the years of the Italian Economic Miracle, and today it is the third most important complex of economy and industrial production in Italy. But the city is not only industrial: it is also one of the main centers for universities, art, tourism, science, and culture in Italy.
Turin's historical and cultural heritage is immense: its territory also includes areas and buildings protected by UNESCO in two different sites: some palaces and areas in the circuit of the Piedmontese Savoy residences (World Heritage Site) and the Po Hills area (Biosphere Reserve).
A two-millennia-long history
Turin has a two-millennia-long history: it was probably founded around the current location, around the 3rd century BC, by the Taurini. Later, it became a Roman colony founded by Augustus under the name ''Iulia Augusta Taurinorum'' in the 1st century BC.
After the Ostrogothic domination, it became the capital of an important Duchy of Turin, then, after becoming the capital of Marca di Torino, it passed under the nominal lordship of the Savoy House in the 11th century. The city of the Duchy of Savoy became its capital in 1563. From 1720, it became the capital of the Kingdom of Sardinia (1720-1861), a state that in the 19th century would lead to the Italian Risorgimento and which made Turin the first capital (city) of the Kingdom of Italy (1861-1946).
Places of tourist and cultural interest
Turin offers numerous places of tourist and cultural interest: in addition to the UNESCO sites already mentioned, it is worth visiting the Egyptian Museum, one of the most important in the world for the collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts, the Mole Antonelliana, the symbol of the city and cinema museum, the Reggia di Venaria Reale, imposing Savoy residence a few kilometers from the city, the Palazzo Carignano, seat of the first Italian Parliament, and the National Museum of Cinema.
But the city also has lesser-known but equally fascinating places, such as the Borgata Aurora, a working-class district of the late 19th century, the Villa della Regina, a summer residence of the Savoys, and the Valentino Park, a green oasis in the middle of the city.
Events and shows
Turin is also a lively city in terms of events and shows: it hosted the International Exhibition of Turin in 1911, the XX Winter Olympic Games in 2006, the ATP Finals since 2021 (at least until 2025), and the Eurovision Song Contest in 2022.
A hub of the automotive industry
Turin is the hub of the Italian automotive industry, where important car manufacturers such as FIAT Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and Pininfarina are located. In the city, there is also the Automobile Museum, one of the most important in the world for the history of cars.
But Turin is also important in the publishing, banking and insurance, information technology, cinema, food and wine, space (astronomy), industrial design, sports, fashion, and artificial intelligence sectors.
Physical geography
Turin is located in the plain delimited by the Stura di Lanzo, Sangone and Po rivers (the latter runs through the city from south to north), facing the mouth of some alpine valleys: Val di Susa, which connects the city with nearby France through the Frejus tunnels, Valleys of Lanzo, and Val Sangone.
In short, Turin is a city worth visiting and discovering!
