Palazzo Madama, a Palace Museum Combo in Turin
Palazzo Madama is a historic building located in Turin, Italy which compelled me to add it to my itinerary of one day tour of Torino. The unique blend of medieval and Baroque architectural styles adds to its allure, making Palazzo Madama a popular tourist attraction in Turin.
During my visit, I made a beeline for the Civic Museum of Ancient Art, also known as Museo Civico d’Arte Antica, which occupies a significant portion of Palazzo Madama. This museum boasts a diverse collection of art and artifacts from various periods, providing visitors with a fascinating glimpse into the past. With four floors dedicated to predominantly decorative arts spanning from the medieval period to the post-unification era, there is much to explore and appreciate.
I found myself completely immersed in the exhibits, losing track of time as I admired the intricate sculptures, captivating paintings, and other remarkable artifacts. It’s worth noting that fully appreciating the displays can easily take more than an hour, so be sure to allocate ample time to soak in the museum’s rich offerings.
Palazzo Madama Palace Museum Combo in Turin
What to See in Palazzo Madama Turin?
Here are some highlights of what you can see when visiting Palazzo Madama:
1. Museum of Ancient Art: Explore the extensive collection of ancient art, including sculptures, paintings, and decorative objects. The museum showcases artworks from the Roman, medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque periods.
2. Medieval Tower: Don’t miss the medieval tower, known as the “Torre Civica” or “Tower of Palazzo Madama.” You can climb to the top for panoramic views of Turin.
Tower of Palazzo Madama
3. Archaeological Area: Discover the underground archaeological area beneath the palace. Here, you can see the remains of the Roman city of Augusta Taurinorum, including ancient walls, mosaics, and artifacts.
Archaeological area beneath the palace
Remains of the Roman city of Augusta Taurinorum
4. Royal Apartments: Visit the beautifully furnished Royal Apartments, which were the residence of the House of Savoy. Admire the opulent decorations and period furnishings as you explore the rooms.
Big fresco on ceiling Palace – Palazzo Madama Turin
Painting by Gaetano Ferri
5. Temporary Exhibitions: Palazzo Madama often hosts temporary exhibitions, showcasing a wide range of artistic and cultural topics. Check the museum’s website or inquire on-site to see if any special exhibitions are available during your visit.
6. Courtyard and Garden: Take a stroll in the courtyard and garden of Palazzo Madama, which provide a peaceful atmosphere and offer an opportunity to relax amid the historic surroundings. Nestled within the moat level of Palazzo Madama lies the enchanting Medieval Botanical Garden. This hidden gem offers visitors a delightful escape into a serene oasis.
The meticulous restoration of the Medieval Botanical Garden at Palazzo Madama faithfully adheres to the guidance provided in ancient documents. These invaluable records served as a blueprint for recreating the garden’s original design, paying homage to its traditional layout divided into distinct areas:
- the hortus (garden)
- the viridarium (forest and orchard)
- and the iardinum domini (Prince’s garden)
Tickets to Botanical Garden – To explore this captivating garden, one can gain access with either an admissions ticket or a dedicated Garden ticket, available at a discounted price of 5 euros.
Timeline of Palazzo Madama History
Palazzo Madama is a wonderful compilation of history of Turin. It is named so after two queens (Madama) of the House of Savoy chose it as their residence.
- This was initially a Roman Gate which was made into a small fort in the middle ages.
- In 15th century this became the castle of Princes of Acaia.
- This became the home to royal dowagers of Savoy in 17th and 18th centuries.
- In 1832 King Charles Albert made this Palazzo the home to the Royal Painting collection and in 1848 the first senate of the kingdom.
- Since 1934 Palazzo Madama has the present avatar of containing the collections of the Museo Civico d’Arte Antica di Torino.
A combo of Palace and Museum
Palazzo Madama, Turin is a unique combination of ancient and modern buildings. It was built at the site occupied by a gate in the Roman walls belonging to the first century B.C. This palazzo was made over the ruins of a fortress from the middle ages. As I entered the building I was stunned to see the ruins showcased below. Tourists were walking over thick glass panes held in place by strong metallic structures. All of us were actually walking over those ruins.
Exploring Palazzo Madama sprung a surprise every turn, every room. I have not seen such a wonderful display of ancient buildings before. They have housed the ancient structures within a modern structure. We could actually see the staircases of that medieval era, the doorways, and the arches. The whole building is a harmonious mixture of ancient, medieval and modern architecture.
Remember to check the museum’s official website or contact them directly for the most up-to-date information on exhibitions, opening hours, and ticket prices before your visit.
Archaeological finds below Palace Palazzo Madama Turin
The Palazzo regularly hosts temporary exhibitions on various themes, a good meeting ground for the locals of Turin. They have maintained a beautiful garden within the premises. This palace – museum combo has a panoramic tower, unique collections of artifacts, spectacular painted and ornamented ceilings. It was like you look anywhere you will find something of interest.
Walk through the Contemporary Museum Torino
Palazzo Madama’s multi-floor arrangement ensures a comprehensive exploration of art and decorative arts from different periods. Here is a virtual tour:
The ground floor of Palazzo Madama has a captivating display of local Gothic and Renaissance art. One exceptional masterpiece, an absolute gem of Italian art that graces this floor is the Portrait of a Man by Antonello da Messina.
Ascend to the second floor which opens up a world of Baroque wonders. A picture gallery here showcases a splendid collection of Baroque artworks. The ornate furnishings displayed crafted by Piffetti and Prinotto, and the lavish decorations adorning the Royal Apartments are enchanting.
In the third floor, there is display of one of Europe’s most significant collections of decorative arts spanning various eras. The diversity of artifacts is astounding, ranging from exquisite ceramics to intricate works in ivory and gold. The opulent textiles, shimmering gilded glass, and a selection of remarkable paintings are simply captivating.
Finally, at the pinnacle of the Palazzo Madama is the Observation Tower. From this vantage point you will get a breathtaking panoramic view of the city of Turin and the surrounding countryside. It’s an awe-inspiring finale that perfectly complements the richness of the artistic and historical journey within the palace.
It will take good 2 hours or more to explore Palazzo Madama in Turin.
Palazzo Madama Tourism Information
Address: P.za Castello, 10122 Torino TO, Italy
Google Coordinates: 45.0718147427646, 7.685563830686199
Opening hours: Closed on Tuesday. Open on other days of the week: 10 AM to 6 PM.
ATTENTION: The ticket office closes one hour before closing time, both for issuing tickets on the spot and for validating or converting tickets purchased online.
Tickets: Adult € 10.00
Reduced admission € 8.00
Free admission: There are several categories that qualify for free admission. For me this helped -youths 18 years old and under.
Reduced admission:
- Visitors 65+
- Visitors 19 – 25
- Members of associations and institutions recognised by or affiliated with the Fondazione Torino Musei
- Group visits with 20 or more people, subject to advance reservation
- City sightseeing Torino tourist bus ticket holders
You may like these:
Pin this for later
Author: Indrani Ghose is an Indian Travel Writer and Blogger based in Bangalore, India. She has written for numerous publications across the globe – including Lonely Planet, The National UAE, Whetstone Asia, Deccan Herald. You can follow her on her social media handles Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook to see the wonderful destinations, beautiful offbeat places and get instant updates about them.
This is most interesting! The ancient builders have done a great job and so have the modern ones by creating this opportunity for the public to see these ancient structures.
I would love to see something like that. And they displayed the ruins in such a wise and preserving way.
Amazing. I have not even heard of anything like this.
very good snaps and writings Indrani
Absolutely amazing and incredible. Must have been a fantastic trip. Seems to be a very very beautiful place.
What a great way to see the ruins without ruining them even more!
That's so interesting, Indrani! I'm of Turin but I'll take a deeper look at this beautiful place.
Fantastic..
Great place to visit with full of history!
Have a Great Time..
Brilliant tourism. And you really seem to get a good view from above.
Indrani, I find it fascinating how these ruins are being displayed and preserved. Was it a little scary standing and looking down through the glass?
There but not there. Wow. That is really impressive.
Wow, what a cool way to see the ruins. A wonderful place with so much history! Fantastic photos.
Great place to visit with full of history! Happy Mid-week!
I've seen this kind of ruin display in Verona too. In Lisbon there are some roman ruins in the basement of a Bank building from the 18th century and you can also see them through glass. Great shots.
That is brilliant how they showcase the ruins! And wonderful photos to share the experience with us 😀
fantastic captures.
What a wonderful way to preserve and showcase ancient ruins !
amazing!
This is really fantastic! well captured
I love how they do this nowadays: retain the old yet allow us to interact to some extent. At least the ruins are not further degraded. This is one of the problems with tourism. We kill the very things we treasure most.
What a great experience and it's good to see it's still so well maintained.
Wonderful. They have been retained very well.
a fantastic way to showcase these ruins. great post.
Wow – what an incredible experience to sway over the ruins and look right down onto them. Great shots!
what a wonderful idea! looks really interesting…
This must have been an incredible experience. I think it's a wonderful way to preserve the ruins. Thanks for the wonderful pictures.
What a fantastic captures of those photos…ancient artworks looks really beautiful and well preserved lucky of you to be there..
Fantastic. A great idea to preserve the ancient and yet allow the public to experience it.
ps – Reminds me of the sets on the TV show Crystal Maze
What a novel way to exhibit the old.
No fear of people trampling all over the place and touching things which are ancient.
Fantastic. I really admire the craftswork of the ancient people. WIthout all the modern technology and machines, they could built such beautiful building. Nice to se them being preserved.
Wow, I've never seen anything done like that and it's such a good idea for preservation while allowing people to see what it was like. Great shots.
What a lovely trip you took. I enjoyed reminiscing with you and your images.
That is so incredible, Indrani! And I agree with Jo, a great way to preserve the ruins and be able to showcase them, too! How awesome to be able to see these ruins! I have to admit I am so envious of your experience, but so happy that you have shared it with us. Have a wonderful week!
Sylvia
What a wonderful way to showcase these ruins yet to preserve them from further decay, Indrani. Thanks for sharing. Have a wonderful day. Jo