The official residence of the two Madame Reali starting in the 1640s, the castle was renovated various times. The decoration of the royal apartment of Marie Jeanne Baptiste of Savoy-Nemours engaged numerous artists with different decorative models and styles whereas the main hall, installed between 1713 and 1714, celebrates, in the transition from Duchy to Kingdom, King Vittorio Amedeo II. Palazzo Madama was bombed during World War II air raids on August 13, 1943.
The life of the castle through the centuries, an anthology of history and architecture styles spanning different eras. From the city's old fortress, built to incorporate both towers of the ancient Roman gate, up to its renovation with a majestic facade and its transformation into a Palace and institutional residence.
Palazzo Madama in today's Turin
A breakthrough and a dream for a major museum offering growing collections
The recovery of the Palazzo, a new headquarters, between new collections and new routes.
From an astronomical observatory to the Royal Gallery, passing through the inauguration as the Sala del Senato Subalpino.
The physical transformation of the noble residence and the plundering of the Palace with the arrival of the French.
A living palace, home of the great Savoy nobility of the princely collections.
French rule, the birth of the Citadel and the Palace within the expanding city.
A century of expansions, between new towers, the garden and a new allure.
The first transformation of the medieval castle into a residential place.
From the Roman age to the first major changes.
At Palazzo Madama visitors can go on a journey across time: the area of the moat displays medieval arts and crafts, with sculptures in stone, mosaics, and works in gold; next is the Medieval Garden, an oasis of peace and nature in the heart of Turin. On the ground floor, we find local Gothic and Renaissance art as well as an absolute masterpiece of Italian art: the Portrait of a Man by Antonello da Messina. The second floor hosts Baroque works, including a picure gallery, furnishings by Piffetti and Prinotto, and the lavish decorations of the Royal Apartments. Then on the third floor, we find one of the most important collections in Europe of decorative arts from all eras: ceramics, works in ivory and gold, textiles, gilded glass, and paintings. Finally, visitors reach the Observation Tower, which offers a stunning view of the city and the surrounding countryside.
