Don’t you like looking at how cities change at night? Different people, flashing signs and the illuminated buildings. Turin by night was no exception, and a walk in the city after dusk was a great way to discover different shades.
Looking at my night pictures I thought they were nice but… like lacking of something. I thought of trying to convert them in black and white and found that like that, they were rendering much better the very special charm of Turin by night. Because Turin has a retro flair, with its wide squares, the magnificent architecture (baroque, rococo, neoclassical and art nouveau), the old cafes, which kept the original signs and the charm of past times.
Interesting city, Turin. Not other city in Italy that I know blends with such harmony old and new, historical buildings recalling the city glorious past as the house of the Savoy, one of the oldest royal dynasties in the world (its origins date back to 1003 A.D.) and contemporary art, for which Turin is one of the main poles in Europe.
The best time to see this interesting blend of past and present is Luci d’Artista, the open air Contemporary Art Exhibition taking place every year from early November to mid-January. Light installations by some of the most important and talented contemporary artists mix up with historical buildings, creating a very interesting result where old and new perfectly blend.
Perhaps because it was a rather cold night of November only a few people were wandering around, making my night stroll in Turin even more magic. Ticking footsteps making a rhythmical sound, superb palaces whose details are highlighted by a beautiful lighting system, old street lamps shedding a warm light. Turin by night made me think of Vienna and the incredible
Ticking footsteps making a rhythmical sound, superb palaces whose details are highlighted by a beautiful lighting system, old street lamps shedding a warm light. Turin by night made me think of Vienna and the incredible Hofburg Palace. I imagined an old horse-drawn carriage appearing in the fog, a woman in a bright muslin dress gracefully getting off and an elegant man offering her his arm. I was clearly dreaming with open eyes, but somehow Turin is one of those cities where the sense of time is liquid, fluctuating and fascinating.
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Note: I’m grateful to Turismo Torino for the kind invitation to discover Turin. Opinions, as always, are only my own.
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