The story
Welcome to one of Turin’s most beloved and atmospheric corners. You are standing in Piazza Carlo Emanuele II, though if you ask any local for directions, they will simply call it Piazza Carlina. This nickname is a centuries-old piece of Turinese irony; the square was built by Duke Carlo Emanuele II, a man of grand ambition, yet the people gave his namesake square a feminine, diminutive name that has outlived his formal titles.
As you look around, you’ll notice the square’s distinct personality. Unlike the narrow, medieval streets of the nearby Quadrilatero, this space is open, symmetrical, and unapologetically Baroque. It was designed in the late 17th century as part of the city’s eastward expansion toward the Po River.
For a long time, this was the city’s bustling wine market, filled with the shouts of merchants and the clatter of carts. Now, draw your eyes to the center of the piazza. Dominating the space is the massive monument to Camillo Benso, the Count of Cavour.
He was the mastermind behind Italian unification, and here he is depicted in white marble, clutching a document that represents the birth of a nation. At the base of the pedestal, a graceful bronze figure representing Italy offers him a wreath of laurel. It is a triumphant scene, but the piazza hides a much darker history behind its elegant facades.
During the years of French Napoleonic rule, this beautiful square was the site of the city’s guillotine. It was chosen specifically because it was a popular gathering place, ensuring that justice—or terror—had a large audience. If you look toward the surrounding buildings, like the majestic Palazzo Santa Croce, it is strange to imagine the shadow of the blade falling across these stones where people now sip espresso.
Speaking of those buildings, look toward the corner at number 12. This was once the home of Antonio Gramsci, one of Italy’s most influential political thinkers. In the early 20th century, he founded the newspaper L'Ordine Nuovo right here, making this square a crucible for the ideas that would shape modern Italian history.
Today, the energy is far more peaceful. The grand building with the red-tiled roof on the southern side is the NH Collection hotel, originally built as a charitable institution for "virtuous girls" in the 1700s. Now, it stands as a symbol of the square’s gentrification and its role as an outdoor living room for the city.
Take a moment to breathe in the air here. Whether you are catching the morning light on the terracotta walls or the glow of the streetlamps at dusk, Piazza Carlina remains a place of deep contrasts—a site of revolution and execution, but also of quiet, enduring beauty. Stay a while, enjoy the rhythm of the city, and when you are ready, the rest of Turin awaits.