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 who it is named after. It is famous for its unique rounded façade. It is located on the Via Accademia delle Scienze.
The construction of the Palazzo Carignano was ordeed 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 when the Prince was 51 years of age.
The Prince commissioned the native Savoyard architect Guarino Guarini to design a suitable residence for the cadet house of the reigning House of Savoy.
Guarini designed a vast structure in the shape of a square; he had a straight and restrained east facade created and a lavish and very unique elliptical tower, slightly is withdrawn in facade, on the west. Guarini also added a large forecourt at the centre of the palace.
The decorations over the windows of the piano nobile recall the campaign of the Carignano family with Carignan-Salières Regiment against the Iroquois in 1667. The interior has always been described as lavish.
The building, constructed in brick in a typical Baroque style, has an elliptical center façade. This facade offers the only domestic project to make use of the undulating 'concave - convex - concave' rhythm established by Francesco Borromini in the church of S. Carlo alle Quattro Fontane.
The Palazzo was the birthplace of the future princesse de Lamballe in 1749 - confidant of Marie Antoinette and for whom she lost her life for in 1792. Charles Emmanuel, Prince of Carignan was born there in 1770;
It was also 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. In 1861, with the new Italian parliament, the room was too small to host the House of Deputies.
