In and Around Torino

The central city area of Torino is lined with covered porticos. Incredibly beautiful and civilized!

The House of Savoy ruled this area of Piemonte (and Italy as a whole for a while) and dissolved in 1946. This Castello was their city residence. Piazza Castello is at the heart of the city of Torino.

One of the rulers was smart enough to build his mother-in-law a palazzo herself right in the Piazza as well.

Torino has a great feel because it truly is a functioning city. This market, in Piazza Repubblica was enormous. Those clementines pictured were 1 Euro per kilogram.

I call is fractal broccoli. My colleagues say it's amazingly tasty but smells up your kitchen. I'll have to try it for myself.

In 1861, the Italian Risorgimento occurred and Italy's many city states came together to become the country of the Italian peninsula that we know today. The leader of the House of Savoy at that time was Victor Emanuelle II who became the leader of Italy. As facism came to be, VEII was pushed out by Mussolini.

This building here is the Museum of the Risorgimento. The star pattern is an alpine artisan symbol that has been used to decorate the outside of the building.

Torino was an outpost of the Roman Empire. Here is an original piece of a wall from Roman times.

One set of Ancient History students had the students and teachers reenact at battle scene from the Carthaginians (students) sacking of the Torini (teachers). It was a rout both then and now.

I live on Via Cavour in Viterbo and here I am with Camillo Cavour himself. Cavour was a resident of Torino and a leading figure in the drive for Italian unification. He was the first prime minister of the Italian Republic.

In a portico off Piazza Castello is Cafe Mulafsano where Cavour himself came for his morning Bicherin.

The Bicherin is a Piemonte specialty. It is a hot drink of chocolate, espresso and clotted cream on top. As you can see, the barista is putting the dollop of cream. It makes the drink.

Torino has lights strung above all the major boulevards. Apparently Viterbo is going to be doing it as well as I saw them putting up lights along the Corso this morning.