TURIN (It. Torino). The capital of the Province of Turin, in Piedmont, Italy, situated on the Po, here navigable near the junction of the Dora Riparia. 76 miles west-southwest of Milan (Map: Italy, B 2). Turin is an open un fortified town. It is unique among Italian cities because of its rectangularity of construction— long, straight, in part arcaded streets, rec tangular blocks of houses or 'islands.' and regu lar squares. It. is well built, and is embellished with numerous squares, statues and monuments, and beautiful parks. Several churches have been constructed since 1870, and also four public ar o eades.
The extensive Piazza Castello, in the north eastern part of Turin, lined by areaded streets, is the centre of the city's life. Thence the most important thoroughfares diverge, the fine Via di Po (the Corso of Turin) leading southeast to one of the four bridges over the Po. and traversing the large Piazza Vittorio Emanuele. In the Piazza Castello rises the mediaeval Palazzo Ma dama, a huge ungainly pile, now occupied by various institutions. Northward looms the royal palace. a plain brick edifice, dating from 1660. Within it are located the valuable royal armory ( with many historic relics of interest), a line col lection of coins. etc. Adjoining the palace is the royal park. Near it stands the commonplace Gothic cathedral ( fifteenth century) containing the fine impressive chapel I if the Santissimo Su dario, treasuring soave of the linen reported to hare covered the body of the Saviour. The Pa lazzo Carignano, in the Carignan° Square to the south, in which met the Sardinian Chamber of Deputies (184S-59) and the Italian Parliament (1860.64), holds natural-history collections. The fine square of San Carlo is situated south of the Castello. The gardens of the Citadella. south west of the royal palace, as well as the gardens of Carlo Felice. to the south, are both attractive. The public park is in the southeastern part of the city, along the left hank of the Po, where are also located the Botanic Gardens. On the eastern side of the Po rises the wooded Monte Dei Cappuccini, 164 feet above the river. A
short distance east of the city, on a height ascended by a cable railroad, is the royal burial church of the House of Savoy—the Superga—a splendid edifice affording a fine view. The most important monuments are those of Duke Victor Amadeus 1., King Charles Albert, Duke Emman uel Philibert, and the imposing monument of Cavour.
Turin is industrially and commercially pros perous. It manufactures mainly steel and iron products, silks, lace, velvet, ribbons. cotton and woolen stuffs, jewelry, porcelain, pianos, and furniture. Prominent among the exports are wine and silk from Piedmont. The transit trade is heavy. The opening of the Siinplon tunnel prom ises greatly to favor the city's trade advantages.
Educationally Turin is prominent. (For the university, founded in 1405, see TuaiN. UNI VERSITY OF.) The valuable National Library has some 250,000 volumes and 4200 manu scripts. Turin has among its numerous educa tional institutions a royal polytechnic school. an astronomical observatory (in the Palazzo Ma dama ), a royal military school for artillery and engineer officers, a military school and hospital, a Liceo Musicale, an archiepiscopal seminary, an agricultural school, a philharmonic academy, four gymnasia, and an industrial school. In the Palace of the Academy of Sciences are the picture gallery and museums of antiqui ties and natural history. There are an Italian Industrial Museum, the civic museum, and the museum of the Risorgimento Italian°. in honor of Victor Emmanuel 11. The last is located in the modern Mole Antonelliana, a curious tower-shaped edifice. having a total height of 53ti feet. thus overtopping the Cologne Cathedral. The Royal Albertine Library. in the royal palace, contains 60,000 volumes and 3000 manuscripts. The Municipal Library has about 75,000 volumes.
Turin is an important military station. owing to its nearness to the French frontier and to the passes of the Western Alps. The budget in 1900 balanced at about $2.701000. The municipal debt amounts to $5,270.000, but is more than offset by the value of the municipal properties. The population in 1901 was 335.656.