Guido Gozzano defined it  “the house of Centuries”: an appellative the perfectly fits for a building that, through the differents phases of its own construction, retraces the whole history of Turin. From Porta Decumana of Augusta Taurinorum, it was transformed in to a medieval castle first, and in to the “Royal Madames” (Madame Reali) residence:   the duchesses Maria Cristina of France and Maria Giovanna Battista of Savoy-Nemours, who the palace was dedicated to. During the Risorgimento the palace became the seat of the firs Subalpine Parlament’s Senate firs, and of the Italian one after the Italy unification in 1861, and it has been seen by great personalities like Cavour, Garibaldi and Manzoni.

Today Palazzo Madama hosts the Civic Ancient art Museum of Turin, which riunites artworks from roma’s period to XVIII century, exposed on four floors, and by visiting them you will be  fondere:  the most ancient finds are kept in the Medieval Lapidarium, the famous “Ritratto di Ignoto” by  Antonello da Messina on the Gothic and Renaissance floor, on the first floor, dedicated to Barocco, you will see the Party Hall and the Second Royal Madame’s, and, last but not least, the porcelains, ceramics and decorative arts collection are exposed on the second floor. The visit also provides a walk through the Medieval Garden, set up in the castle’s moat, and the city sightseeing from the panoramic tower’s top.