Palazzo Carignano facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Palazzo Carignano |
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The Baroque façade
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| General information | |
| Architectural style | Baroque |
| Town or city | Turin |
| Country | Italy |
| Construction started | 1679 |
| Client | Emmanuel Philibert, Prince of Carignano |
| Technical details | |
| Structural system | Brick |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Guarino Guarini |
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
| Criteria | (i) (ii) (iv) (v) |
| Inscription | 1997 (21st Session) |
The Palazzo Carignano is a famous old building in the city of Turin, Italy. Today, it is home to the Museum of the Risorgimento, which tells the story of Italy's unification. This palace was once the private home of the Princes of Carignano, a royal family. It is named after them. You can find this unique building on Via Accademia delle Scienze. Its curved front, called a façade, makes it stand out from other buildings nearby.
History of Palazzo Carignano
The building of Palazzo Carignano was ordered by Emmanuel Philibert, Prince of Carignano. He was the son of Thomas Francis, Prince of Carignano and Marie de Bourbon, Countess of Soissons. Prince Emmanuel Philibert wanted a grand home for his family, who were part of the ruling House of Savoy.
He asked a famous architect named Guarino Guarini to design the palace. Guarini designed the building in a square shape. The front facing east was straight and simple. But the front facing west had a special curved, oval shape. Guarini also added an open courtyard in the middle of the palace. Construction started in 1679. At that time, Prince Emmanuel Philibert was 51 years old.
The palace has many beautiful decorations. For example, above the windows on the main floor, there are designs that remember the Carignano family's battles. These designs show their fight against the Iroquois people in 1667. Inside, the palace was always very fancy. It had wonderful paintings on the walls and ceilings, called frescoes. It also had detailed stucco decorations. Some of the frescoes were painted by Stefano Legnani, also known as il Legnanino. The main staircase has busts, which are sculptures of people's heads and shoulders, made by Pietro Somazzi.
The Palazzo Carignano is made of brick and built in the Baroque style. Its main front has a unique curved shape. This design is special because it uses a wavy pattern, like a series of curves going in and out. This style was first used by Francesco Borromini in a church in Rome.
Many important people were born in this palace. Marie Thérèse, Princesse de Lamballe was born here in 1749. She was a close friend of Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France. Marie Thérèse sadly died in 1792. Charles Emmanuel, Prince of Carignano was also born here in 1770. The first King of Italy, Victor Emmanuel II, was born in the palace in 1820.
From 1848 to 1861, the palace was used as the House of Deputies for the Subalpine Parliament. This was like the main meeting place for lawmakers in the Kingdom of Sardinia. In 1861, Italy became a unified country. The room in the palace was no longer big enough for all the new lawmakers. So, the House of Deputies moved to a different building.
Images for kids
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The 19th century rear façade of the Palazzo Carignano on Piazza Carlo Alberto.
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See also
In Spanish: Palacio Carignano para niños
