Turin, Italy, 1863: A Slice of Life

Abstract

Turin’s time as first capital of a united Italy was brief and is often overlooked. However, through an analysis of this influential period for the city, the deeper social and cultural contexts of a freshly united Italy unfold. This paper will dive into the history of Turin in 1863, exploring multiple aspects of the capital and creating an extensive “slice of life.” The city can be defined via tensions or contradictions: (1) Turin’s longstanding conservative monarchy versus the city’s status as emerging liberal hub, (2) the Jewish community’s vision of the Mole Antonelliana as a synagogue versus architect Antonio Antonelli’s vision of an immortalized city symbol, (3) the aristocracy’s cultural prestige versus the economic power of the bourgeoisie, and (4) the foundation of the Club Alpino Italiano and its desire to preserve the “purity” of nature versus the desire to “conquer” nature via urban development and tourism. Through this method of analysis, Turin’s contradictions create a multi-faceted view into the fragmented nature of the city, which, as Italian capital of the time, reflect the fragmented nature of post-unification Italy as a whole.