Palazzo Carignano
Well Preserved Renaissance Royal Palace in Italy

The Palazzo Carignano (Carignan Palace) is a historical building in the centre of Turin which currently houses the Museum of the Risorgimento. It was once a private residence of the Princes of Carignan, after whom it is named. It is famous for its unique rounded façade. It is located on the Via Accademia delle Scienze.

The construction of the Palazzo Carignano was ordered by the Prince of Carginan, Prince Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, son of Thomas Francis, Prince of Carignan and his French wife Marie de Bourbon. Construction started in 1679. The building, constructed in brick in a typical Baroque style, has an elliptical centre façade. This facade offers the only domestic project to make use of the undulating 'concave - convex - concave' rhythm. It was the birth place of the first King of Italy, Victor Emmanuel II in 1820. From 1848 to 1861 the palace was used for the House of Deputies of the Subalpine Parliament.

Unesco World Heritage Site

Unesco name of World Heritage site: Residences of the Royal House of Savoy (added in 1997)

Justification for Inscription: The Committee decided to inscribe this property on the basis of criteria (i), (ii), (iv) and (v), considering that the Residences of the Royal House of Savoy in and around Turin represent a comprehensive overview of European monumental architecture in the 17th and 18th centuries, using style, dimensions, and space to illustrate in an exceptional way the prevailing doctrine of absolute monarchy in material terms.