Palazzo Carignano

History

The construction of the Palazzo Carignano was ordered by Emmanuel Philibert, Prince of Carignano. The Prince commissioned architect Guarino Guarini to design a suitable residence for his home and the cadet house of the reigning House of Savoy.

Guarini designed the structure in the shape of a square, with a straight and restrained east façade and an elliptical façade on the west. Guarini also added a forecourt at the centre of the palace. Construction began in 1679, when the Prince was 51 years old.

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 been described as lavish and has impressive frescoes and stucco decorations.

Among the frescoes are some by Stefano Legnani, called il Legnanino. The main stairwell is decorated with busts by Pietro Somazzi.

The building, constructed in brick in a typical Baroque style, has an elliptical main façade. This façade represents the only example of civic architecture making use of the undulating 'concave – convex – concave' rhythm established by Francesco Borromini in the church of San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane in Rome.

The palazzo was the birthplace of Marie-Louise, princesse de Lamballe in 1749 – confidant of Marie Antoinette and for whom she died in 1792. Charles Emmanuel, Prince of Carignano was born there in 1770. It was also the birthplace of the first King of Italy, Victor Emmanuel II in 1820.

From 1848 to 1861, the palace was used as the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Kingdom of Sardinia in the baroque ballroom. In 1861, with the creation of the parliament of the newly unified Kingdom of Italy, the room was not large enough to host the Chamber of Deputies, which was moved in a new chamber built in the courtyard (this second chamber is not extant anymore).