Piedmont (Piemonte) is a large region in northwest Italy, ringed on three sides by the Alps and sloping down toward the Po Valley. Its capital, Turin, is a city of elegant arcades, royal palaces, and the landmark Mole Antonelliana. Beyond the city lie the UNESCO-listed vineyards of the Langhe, Roero, and Monferrato, home to Barolo and Barbaresco wines and Alba's prized white truffles, plus the serene shores of Lake Maggiore and Lake Orta. Piedmont is the birthplace of vermouth, gianduja chocolate, and the Slow Food movement.
Historical timeline
Key moments that shaped Piedmont.
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1
Arch of Augustus at Susa
The Gaulish chieftain Cottius dedicates a triumphal arch to the emperor Augustus at Segusio (Susa), marking the alliance that brought the Alpine valleys into the Roman world
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2
Founding of Augusta Taurinorum
Rome founds the colony of Augusta Taurinorum, the regular grid city that became Turin, whose Roman gate the Porta Palatina still stands
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3
Foundation of the Sacra di San Michele
The great Benedictine abbey of San Michele is founded on Mount Pirchiriano above the Val di Susa, becoming a major pilgrimage stop on the Via Francigena
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4
Savoy Raised to a Duchy
Emperor Sigismund elevates Count Amadeus VIII of Savoy to Duke, strengthening the dynasty that would rule Piedmont for centuries
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5
Capital Moved to Turin
Duke Emanuele Filiberto transfers the Savoy capital from Chambery to Turin, beginning the city's transformation into a grand Baroque capital
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6
Holy Shroud Brought to Turin
The Shroud, venerated as the burial cloth of Christ, is transferred to Turin by the House of Savoy, making the city a centre of pilgrimage
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7
Siege of Turin
Turin withstands a long French siege, broken by Prince Eugene of Savoy; the victory wins Sicily and a royal crown for the House of Savoy
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8
Kingdom of Sardinia
The Savoy ruler exchanges Sicily for Sardinia, and Turin becomes capital of the Kingdom of Sardinia spanning Piedmont, Savoy, and the island
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9
Napoleonic Annexation
Napoleon annexes Piedmont to France; the Savoy are restored to Turin only with the Congress of Vienna in 1814-1815
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10
Statuto Albertino
King Carlo Alberto grants the Statuto Albertino, the liberal constitution that became the founding charter of the future Kingdom of Italy
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11
Turin, First Capital of Italy
The Kingdom of Italy is proclaimed with Turin as its first capital and Vittorio Emanuele II as king, the climax of the Risorgimento led from Piedmont by Cavour
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12
Foundation of FIAT
Giovanni Agnelli and partners found FIAT in Turin, launching the city's rise as Italy's industrial and automotive capital
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13
Savoy Residences Inscribed by UNESCO
The Residences of the Royal House of Savoy around Turin are added to the UNESCO World Heritage List as a masterpiece of European court architecture
Historical sites
Places where Piedmont's past comes alive.
Palazzo Reale di Torino (UNESCO)
The grand Royal Palace of the House of Savoy at the heart of Turin, with sumptuous state apartments, the Royal Armoury, the Galleria Sabauda, and the chapel of the Holy Shroud, part of the UNESCO Savoy Residences.
Where: Piazza Castello, Turin
Admission: Musei Reali combined ticket EUR 15 (approx USD 16.20); reductions and free first Sunday of the month
Reggia di Venaria Reale (UNESCO)
A vast Baroque royal hunting palace and garden complex north of Turin, restored as one of Europe's grandest residences, with Juvarra's luminous Great Gallery and immense formal gardens.
Where: Venaria Reale, north of Turin
Admission: Palace and gardens combined ticket around EUR 20 (approx USD 21.60); palace-only and garden-only options
Sacra di San Michele
A dramatic Romanesque abbey perched on Mount Pirchiriano above the Val di Susa, the symbolic monument of Piedmont and inspiration for the novel The Name of the Rose.
Where: Sant'Ambrogio di Torino, Val di Susa
Admission: Around EUR 8 adults (approx USD 8.60); reductions available
Basilica di Superga
Filippo Juvarra's domed Baroque basilica crowning the hill above Turin, royal mausoleum of the House of Savoy and site of the memorial to the 1949 Grande Torino air disaster.
Where: Superga hill, east of Turin
Admission: Basilica free; Royal Crypt and dome around EUR 5-8 (approx USD 5.40-8.60)
Palazzina di Caccia di Stupinigi (UNESCO)
Filippo Juvarra's spectacular Rococo royal hunting lodge southwest of Turin, with a soaring central salon crowned by a bronze stag, part of the UNESCO Savoy Residences.
Where: Nichelino, southwest of Turin
Admission: Around EUR 12 adults (approx USD 13); reductions available
Arco di Augusto e Susa Romana
The triumphal arch of Augustus at Susa, raised in 9 BC by the Gaulish chieftain Cottius, the finest Roman monument in Piedmont amid the ancient town of Segusio.
Where: Susa, Val di Susa
Admission: Arch free to view; Susa archaeological sites mostly free or low-cost
Castello di Barolo e WiMu
The medieval Falletti castle in the heart of the Barolo wine village, home to the WiMu wine museum and the regional Barolo wine shop in the cradle of the king of wines.
Where: Barolo, Langhe, Cuneo province
Admission: WiMu around EUR 12 adults (approx USD 13); reductions available
Forte di Fenestrelle
The largest fortification in Europe, a vast Savoy fortress climbing the Val Chisone, linked by a covered staircase of nearly four thousand steps and known as the Great Wall of Piedmont.
Where: Fenestrelle, Val Chisone
Admission: Guided tours around EUR 13-30 (approx USD 14-32) depending on route length