Palazzo Madama

Palazzo Madama stands in the middle of Piazza Castello in Turin, Piedmont, Italy, and combines nearly two thousand years of construction. Its base is the eastern gate of the Roman city of Augusta Taurinorum, converted in the Middle Ages into a fortified house and then into a castle of the Acaja and Savoy families. The towers and brick curtain walls seen at the rear date from the 13th to 15th centuries. In the 17th century two royal widows, Madama Cristina and Madama Giovanna Battista, lived here, giving the building its name.

The present facade is the work of Filippo Juvarra, built between 1718 and 1721 for Maria Giovanna Battista of Savoy-Nemours. Its white stone elevation, with a monumental double staircase, columns and statues, is one of the great Baroque set pieces of Italy and contrasts sharply with the medieval fortress behind it. In 1861 the palace housed the first Senate of the Kingdom of Italy, a role commemorated by the Senate hall inside.

Since the 20th century the building has housed the Museo Civico d'Arte Antica, whose collection runs from medieval sculpture and illuminated manuscripts to Renaissance and Baroque paintings, ceramics, glass and textiles. Among the best-known pieces is the Portrait of an Unknown Man by Antonello da Messina, and the Book of Hours of Milan and Turin is a notable manuscript. The display is chronological and moves through the palace's own architecture, so visitors climb through the medieval tower, the Baroque staircase and the state rooms.

Restoration has been continuous. Major works in the 2000s reopened the palace and its terraces, and conservation of the stone facade and the roof terraces continues. The Corte Medievale and the Torre Panoramica offer views over Piazza Castello and the Alps. Opening is generally Tuesday to Sunday, with an admission of about EUR 10 and free entry for visitors under 18; check palazzomadamatorino.it for current hours.