Turin is an important industrial and transport centre on the banks of the Po River, in the northern part of Italy. It lies
in a rich agricultural area. The main railway line leading to France and Western Europe from Italy passes through the city.
Swift-flowing streams from the Alps to the north provide hydroelectric power for the cities factories. They produce textiles, clothing, metal goods, rubber, paper, and glass. Turin is most important, however as the centre of the Italian motor vehicle industry.
Turin is a city of elegant squares lined with arcades, and rich in religious architecture and palaces. Outstanding buildings include Palazzo Madama, Palazzo Reale (royal palace); the red-brick Palazzo Carignano; and the Academy of Sciences. The Chapel of the Holy Shroud in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist houses the famous linen cloth which is said by some to be burial shroud of Jesus Christ. The University of Turin, founded in 1405, is famous for its medical and scientific departments.
Although founded as a Roman town, Turin’s growth did not begin until the 13th
century, when it was made capital of the dukedom of Savoy. During the following centuries it became one of the great cities of Europe. In 1720 it was made the capital of the kingdom of Sardinia. In the middle of the 19th century the kings of the Italian states met in Turin to plan the union of Italy. From 1861 until 1865 Turin was the capital of Italy.
Because of its importance as an industrial and transport centre, Turin was heavily bombed by the Allies during World War II (1939-45). The resulting damage was largely repaired by the 1960’s and the
population was boosted by emigrants from southern Italy. The population is 1,002,863 (1989), making Turin the fourth largest Italian city.