Discover the Royal Palace and its many museums

Construction of the royal palace began at the end of the 16th century, when Turin became the capital of the States of Savoy in 1562. Throughout the 17th century, the greatest architects of the time succeeded one another in building and decorating the various parts of the palace.

The architecture of the Royal Palace is a fine example of Baroque art, a style born in Italy in the 17th century. This style is characterised by exuberant decoration. The gardens are the work of André Le Nôtre, the same landscape gardener as at Versailles.

The Royal Palace itself is worth a visit for the profusion and richness of the decor in its various rooms. But above all, visiting the Royal Palace is like travelling through time, from prehistory to the present day. In addition to the palace, a number of museums in adjoining buildings display collections and works that are well worth a visit. Virtually every era is represented. There's something for everyone!

With over 5,000 objects dating from prehistoric times to the 20th century, the Royal Armoury is one of the world's largest museums dedicated to weapons and armoury. Among the museum's curiosities are the sword Napoleon used in Egypt and Charles V's pistol from the 16th century.

Back to ancient times with the Archaeological Museum, open since 2022. It is one of Europe's most important collections of classical archaeology. Located on the ground floor of the new wing of the Royal Palace (the Manica Nueva), the museum houses collections of European antiquities. One room is devoted to the regional archaeology of Turin and the surrounding area. Finally, the remains of a Roman theatre and an early Christian church have been made accessible to the public.

For lovers of old paintings, the Sabauda gallery is a must. This gallery features works dating from the 14th to 18th centuries. Italian painting is well represented, with artists such as Mantegna and Paolo Veronese. You can also admire works by Flemish and Dutch painters such as Van Eyck, Rembrandt van Rijn and Anton van Dyck.

Another architectural curiosity is the dome of the Chapel of the Holy Shroud. This chapel, which connects with the 1st floor of the Royal Palace, was designed by the Baroque architect Guarino Guarini. After suffering a fire in 1997, it reopened to the public in 2018 following a long and difficult restoration campaign. Its dome is an architectural feat.

Finally, the Chiablese rooms, located on the ground floor of the Palazzo Chiablese, a wing of the Royal Palace, are reserved for temporary exhibitions of contemporary art. Unlike the royal palace and the other buildings, these rooms have virtually no décor. They were used for the palace's stewardship and supplies.

The magnificent gardens of the Royal Palace round off the visit. They also provide a pleasant place to stop between two exhibitions. Shady avenues of trees run alongside rectangles of lawn. Numerous benches and deckchairs invite you to relax by the fountains and green expanses.

There are a number of hotels and accommodation close to the Royal Palace. If you want to visit mainly the centre of Turin, we recommend Alice Home, 400 metres from the Royal Palace. This 47 m2 flat has all the amenities and is very popular with families.

Take a break!

A visit to the royal palace takes well over a day, or even longer if you really want to take the time to see everything. The royal palace has a café where you can eat pastries and sandwiches. Weather permitting, you can also take a lunch break in the royal gardens.