Torino - Basilica di Superga

Turin is the capital of Piedmont and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. The population of the city is about 850.000 while the population of the metropolitan area is estimated at 2.2 million.


In the first century BC the Romans founded "Augusta Taurinorum". Turin reached about 5,000 inhabitants at the time, all living inside the high city walls. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the town was conquered by the Ostrogoths and later by the Lombards whose territory in 773 fell into the hands of the Franks under Charlemagne. After the marriage of Adelaide of Susa with Humbert Biancamano's son Otto, the family of the Counts of Savoy gained control. The title of count was held by the Bishop as count of Turin. At the end of the 13th century, when it was annexed to the Duchy of Savoy, the city already had 20,000 inhabitants. Many of the gardens and palaces were built in the 15th century when the city was redesigned. The University of Turin was also founded during this period.

The "Basilica of Superga" (officially "Basilica della Natività di Maria Vergine") was built from 1717 to 1731 for Victor Amadeus II of Savoy. This fulfilled a vow the duke had made during the Battle of Turin, after defeating the besieging French army in the War of the Spanish Succession. The church contains the tombs of many princes and kings of the House of Savoy. The architect was Filippo Juvarra (1678 - 1736) one of the main exponents of the Italian Baroque.