Low cost trip to the hills to visit the suggestive Basilica of Superga: a place rich in history less than half an hour from the center of Turin.
On the hill overlooking the north-east city of Turin stands the Basilica of Superga. This building is visible from all over the Turin area and is famous not only for its history, but also for the terrible plane crash that led to the death of the entire Turin football team in 1949.
The architecture of the basilica, the possibility to visit the royal apartments and the splendid view over the city make the hill one perfect destination for both tourists and Turin residents.
The history of the Basilica of Superga
The basilica was built by the architect Filippo Juvarra on the orders of King Vittorio Amedeo II as a vote following the siege of Turin in 1706. The sovereign had followed the Franco-Spanish siege from the clearing on which the basilica itself now stands, dedicated to the Madonna. Construction began in 1717 and Juvarra completed it in 1731, under the reign of Carlo Emanuele III of Savoy.
The basilica has one late baroque style which distinguishes most of Juvarra's works. The 75-meter dome and two symmetrical bell towers decorate the central body of the structure. In the rear area is the convent ofOrder of the Servants of Mary.
Inside the building there is no shortage of works of art to admire, such as the Carrara marble statues, the wooden statue of the Madonna to which Vittorio Amedeo II himself made the vow and the Royal Crypt in which various members of the house of the Savoy, among which the Sarcophagus of the King, containing the remains of Carlo Alberto of Savoy.
A plaque is now posted on the wall of the hill to commemorate the plane crash that involved the entire Torino team in 1949.
The visit to the Basilica of Superga is free and it's open all year round at variable times: it always opens at 9 and closes from 12 to 15, then reopens a few hours in the afternoon.
Near the Basilica is theRoyal apartment, which can only be accessed by following a 45-minute tour and which has a maximum limit of 15 people at a time. The entrance ticket costs 5 euros. Inside the apartment built at the behest of Carlo Alberto you can admire various works of art collected over time by the Savoy family.
How to reach the Basilica of Superga
If you want to take a journey through history to reach the Basilica of Superga then you cannot miss it tramway, unique in Italy: in 10-15 minutes you will be on the top. In fact, from the base of the hill starts denture tramway which connects Sassi to the top of Superga. The line was inaugurated on April 26, 1884 initially using a system somewhere between a funicular and a rack railway. In 1934, however, the use of the denture tramway began. To discover the history of this vehicle, do not miss the dedicated museum in the Sassi station. The cost varies between € 4 and € 9 and times vary depending on the season.
Sassi can be reached from the center by taking the 15 from Piazza Castello, or the 61 or 68 from Piazza Vittorio Veneto.
The Basilica of Superga is an excellent opportunity to experience something alternative to the usual tour in the city center.
