Just venture into the Quadrilatero Romano, the heart of ancient Augusta Taurinorum, to breathe in the atmosphere of a bygone era among cobblestone alleys and characteristic venues.
The Quadrilatero Romano is one of the oldest and most fascinating parts of Turin, located right in the heart of the city. This area is characterized by historic buildings, narrow cobbled streets, and a lively presence of shops, restaurants, and cafes. The name “Quadrilatero Romano,” also known as “Quadrilatero,” derives from its origin as a castrum of ancient Augusta Taurinorum, the Roman city from which Turin originated.
This part of the city was neglected and degraded until the late 1980s. Today, it is an example of redevelopment that has brought new uses and functions to light, including a vibrant nightlife and the establishment of design shops.
The Quadrilatero Romano corresponds to part of the old Roman castrum: the area bounded by Via Garibaldi, the Roman decumanus maximus, Via della Consolata, Corso Regina, and Via XX Settembre.
The Quadrilatero Romano is a place of great historical and cultural interest. Here you can visit: the Church of San Tommaso, dating back to the 12th century, the Turin Cathedral and the Shroud, Palazzo Barolo, a Renaissance building hosting exhibitions and cultural events, the Church of La Consolata, beloved by Turin residents, and the nearby historic café, Bicerin. The Quadrilatero Romano is also famous for its vibrant nightlife, with numerous bars and venues that come alive every evening. Food and wine lovers should not miss the opportunity to taste local specialties in the many restaurants and cafes populating the area.
In summary, the Quadrilatero Romano is a must-see for anyone visiting Turin. Here you can immerse yourself in the city’s history, discover its culture, and savor its typical products. For more information about the Quadrilatero Romano by night, visit the section Turin by night.
Map of Quadrilatero Romano
The most beautiful sights in Turin’s Quadrilatero Romano.
Piazza Emanuele Filiberto
Our itinerary through the Quadrilatero Romano starts from Piazza Emanuele Filiberto, with its various venues, Parisian atmosphere, and underground old icehouses that served the nearby Porta Palazzo market.
Piazza and Church of La Consolata
From here you can reach Piazza della Consolata, where you’ll find the namesake Sanctuary, a marvelous Baroque masterpiece by Guarino Guarini and Filippo Juvarra, two Baroque star architects from Turin.
The Consolata is one of the most beloved and unique churches in Turin. Don’t miss its lavish interiors, entirely covered in gold and adorned with ex-votos, through which fortunate survivors thanked the Virgin Mary for saving them from various misfortunes.
In front of the Sanctuary, a pleasant break at the historic Al Bicerin café is a must. This is the place where the famous drink made of coffee, chocolate, and milk cream served in a small glass—the bicerin—was born and is still offered today.
Via Bonelli
Via Bonelli is one of the few narrow and curved streets in Turin. It is one of the most distinctive. Once home to the executioner’s house, today it hosts a tiny bar called Vermuttino, with a counter and two tables.
Piazza Savoia
A square dominated by a large obelisk commemorating the Siccardi Law of 1850, which abolished ecclesiastical courts. Through Via del Carmine, you reach the namesake church designed by Filippo Juvarra: don’t miss the Madonna del Carmine in the apse, painted by Claudio Francesco Beaumont (1755). On the opposite side of the square, you can access Via delle Orfane, where Palazzo Falletti di Barolo, an example of Turin’s patrician residence, stands. Silvio Pellico wrote his most famous work, “Le mie prigioni,” here.
Piazza Palazzo di Città
Once known as Piazza delle Erbe, today it is the Town Hall Square of Turin, a place rich in history and charm. Between 1659 and 1665, the original Town Hall was demolished and rebuilt by architect Francesco Lanfranchi. Later, in the 18th century, the building was expanded by Benedetto Alfieri, while in 1858, its façade was adorned with statues of Carlo Alberto and Vittorio Emanuele II.
At the center of the square stands a monument dedicated to the Conte Verde, created by sculptor Pelagio Palagi. Commissioned by Carlo Alberto, it depicts Amedeo VI of Savoy, known as the Conte Verde, one of the most famous warrior princes of the dynasty.
During Christmas, the square hosts the artwork Tappeto volante (Flying Carpet) by Daniel Buren, one of the most beautiful Luci d’Artista installations: a “checkerboard” of cubic lanterns suspended over the square, creating a highly scenic effect.
Piazzetta Corpus Domini
Built along with the church of the same name, designed by Ascanio Vitozzi, it was once the grain market square.
Curiosità
The building with the Piercing
In Piazzetta Corpus Domini you can see an original urban art work from 1996: the Piercing, a steel ring attached to the corner of the top floor of an eighteenth-century building created by the Cliostraat architectural studio.
Piazza IV Marzo
The medieval houses, with their brick facades and ogival windows, enclose a tiny and pleasant square: it is one of the oldest areas of the city, which included streets named after trades (hatters, basket makers, furriers, shoemakers, etc.).
This square has become one of the most frequented in the Roman Quadrilateral: it is lined with restaurants and wine bars, creating a lively atmosphere, especially in the evening hours. With its animated outdoor seating areas and soft lighting, it is the ideal place to enjoy traditional Piedmontese dishes, sip a good glass of wine, and immerse yourself in the historic atmosphere of Turin’s city center.
Piazza San Giovanni and Cathedral of St. John the Baptist (Duomo)
Dedicated to St. John the Baptist, the Duomo is the only example of Renaissance sacred architecture in Turin. The bell tower was erected in 1470 in Romanesque style and completed in the 18th century by Filippo Juvarra. The square is surrounded by Palazzo Reale and Palazzo Chiablese: the latter, built in the 17th century, was renovated in the 18th century by Benedetto Alfieri.
Chapel of the Holy Shroud
It is dedicated to the relic believed to be the shroud that wrapped the body of Jesus Christ. It is a Baroque masterpiece by Guarino Guarini, who completed the earlier project by Amedeo di Castellamonte. The Exposition of the Holy Shroud is an exceptional event. A photographic replica is displayed in the first chapel on the left of the Duomo.
Roman Theatre
Step back to ancient Roman times with a visit to the archaeological area in the city center, which also preserves remains of an ancient Roman theatre dating back to the 1st century AD. The steps, orchestra floor, and some external pillars are visible. Rediscovered only at the end of the 19th century, it was located in the northeast area of ancient Roman Turin.
Porte Palatine
In Piazza Cesare Augusto stands the most famous monument of Augusta Taurinorum, founded by the Romans in 28 BC; the ancient “Left Main Gate” gives its medieval name (Portae Palatii) to the surrounding neighborhood. It was the northern access gate to ancient Roman Turin. This photo shows the Porte Palatine seen from the Duomo’s bell tower, with Piazza della Repubblica and the Alps in the background.
Curiosità
The animal houses
Walking along Via Milano, just before reaching Piazza della Repubblica, you come across a widening, obtained by rounding off the corners of the buildings. On one of the corners is the Basilica Mauriziana, designed by Filippo Juvarra. If you look up you will notice that the facades of the houses on the other three corners, also designed by Juvarra, are decorated with sculptures depicting the heads of a bull, dog and lion.
The bull recalls the emblem of the city. The lion was part of the coat of arms of the owners of the second house. The house with the dog heads instead was owned by the Dominicans. The name “Dominicans” derives from the Latin “Dominus”, or Lord, which for a play on words became “Domini canes”, the dogs of the Lord.
Church of San Domenico
The Church of San Domenico, **the only example of Gothic architecture in Turin**, was built by the Dominicans between the 13th and 14th centuries at the **corner of Via San Domenico and Via Milano**. Its history as the **seat of the Inquisition Tribunal** is particularly significant. Despite the Baroque transformation desired by the Savoys in the 18th century, the restoration works from 1906-1911 restored the original medieval appearance, revealing the austere atmosphere that characterized this important ecclesiastical judicial center.
The building preserves precious artworks: rare **14th-century frescoes** in the Madonna delle Grazie chapel, a 16th-century fresco by Giovanni Martino Spanzotti, and in the Rosary chapel, a **painting by Guercino** surrounded by the Fifteen Mysteries of the Rosary sculpted by Stefano Maria Clemente, an 18th-century artist who also created the pulpit.
Galleria Umberto I
This covered passage, the one in Turin that most resembles the Parisian passages, connects Via della Basilica with Piazza della Repubblica (Porta Palazzo). Along the gallery there are several shops…