Piazza San Carlo

The most beautiful square of Turin, already parade and market square, it keeps the 17th century look of harmonious uniformity given to it by the royal architect Carlo di Castellamonte (1642-1650).
In the centre stands the equestrian statue of Emanuele Filiberto, portrayed by Carlo Marocchetti (1838) while he is sheathing the sword again after the battle of San Quintino in 1557, one of the most significant statues of the beginning of the 19th century (the so-called El Caval d'brons).

Piazza San Carlo

The short side of the square, on the south-west side is fenced by the almost twin façades of the churches of Santa Cristina and of San Carlo.
Several noble buildings overlooks piazza San Carlo; among them, at the number 183, the palace Solaro del Borgo, already Isnardi di Caraglio, from 1839 seat of the Accademia Filarmonica to which is united in 1947 the Circolo del Whist, founded in 1841 by the Conte di Cavour.

Partially reconstructed in the 18th century by Benedetto Alfieri and later by Giovanni Battista Borra, it keeps the magnificent 18th century decoration of the rooms; the Salone for the concerts is due to Giuseppe Maria Talucchi (1839-1840).

Noticeable are the traditional cafés San Carlo, inaugurated in 1842, the café Torino and the confectioner's Fratelli Stratta, with the original furniture of 1836.

Recently finished, in 2004 the works for the re-qualification of the square began with its complete pedestrianization through the progressive elimination of the vehicular traffic and the no parking area for cars and with the realization of an underground parking distributed in just one level which will host 380 parking lots.