Museo Pietro Micca

The Museo Pietro Micca is located on Via Guicciardini 7A in the Cittadella area of Turin, Piedmont, Italy. It documents the siege of Turin in 1706, when French and Spanish troops surrounded the city for four months during the War of the Spanish Succession. The siege ended on 7 September 1706 with the victory of Prince Eugene of Savoy and Duke Victor Amadeus II, an outcome that strengthened the Savoy state and eventually led to its royal status.

The museum is named after Pietro Micca, a soldier-miner who, on the night of 29-30 August 1706, set off a charge in a gallery of the citadel to stop French grenadiers entering the fortress. He died in the explosion, and the action is remembered as a symbol of sacrifice. The museum, which opened in 1961, preserves his memory and collects objects related to the siege.

The displays include maps and engravings of the fortress and the siege, models of the citadel, weapons, tools used by the miners and uniforms. The most memorable part of the visit is the underground system of galleries, a labyrinth of countermines built in the 18th century to detect and destroy enemy tunnelling. Visitors descend stairs of some 300 steps and walk along passages that remain from the original fortifications, with the guide explaining the tactics of mine warfare.

The museum approach is thematic and guided, using the original structures as the principal exhibit. The tunnels have been shored up and lit, and the site is maintained by the municipality with the support of associations. Visits are mainly in the afternoon on selected days, the fee is small, and details should be confirmed at museopietromicca.it. Reservations are advisable for groups.