About Turin in Italy

Located on the Po River in the northwest of Italy, Turin is capital of Piedmont and of Turin province. The city is famous for its Fiat, Chocolate, Football and the Turin Shroud. It is now a major center of business, industry, transportation, fashion and culture in northwest Italy. Turin is host city for the 2006 Winter Olympics. The city of Turin has a population of more than 900,000 residents. It has a continental climate, with cool in summer and cold, dry in winter.

Turin houses a wealth of museums, baroque architecture and historic palaces. Well known as the "drawing room of Turin", Piazza San Carlo is a beautiful baroque square with the twin churches of San Carlo and Santa Cristina. The Mole Antonelliana is a 167 meters high tower built between 1798 and 1888, which houses the excellent National Cinema Museum. The Cathedral of St John the Baptist houses the Shroud of Turin. Palazzo Carignano was the birthplace of Vittorio Emanuele II in 1820. Now, It houses the Museo del Risorgimento and Royal Armoury. The Museo Egizio has an important collection of Egyptian antiquities. The Piazza Castello is home to grand palaces such as Palazzo Reale, the royal palace of the Savoy dynasty, and Palazzo Madama. The Residences of the Royal House of Savoy is a World Heritage Site. Other main attractions include the Via Po, Basilica di Superga and the Gran Madre Church.