Why go
Follow Via Garibaldi through the Roman Quadrilateral and look for the Palatine Towers near the cathedral before turning to Piazza Castello. Those short distances reveal a striking shift: an ancient military town became a court city whose palaces still shape the centre.
The full story
The Taurini gave Turin its name, but the most legible ancient layer is Roman. Augusta Taurinorum had a regular street plan, and Via Garibaldi still traces its main east–west axis. Near the cathedral, the Palatine Towers make that early city tangible. Palazzo Madama adds another clue: a Roman gate was incorporated into the building that visitors see today. After several changes of rule in the Middle Ages, the House of Savoy gained control. Emmanuel Philibert made Turin the duchy’s capital in 1563, setting up the courtly transformation visible around Piazza Castello. The Royal Palace and nearby residences belong to that story, while the city’s later civic buildings tell a different chapter of public life. Walking from the Roman Quadrilateral to the palace quarter is a compact way to understand why Turin’s centre feels both gridded and ceremonial.