 This
piazza is named after Carlo Emmanuelle one of the most loved and
respected rulers of Italy. It is also known as Piazza Carlina. It
stands in the area bordered by the Via Po, Via Roma, Corso Vittorio
and the river Po. Carlo Promis was the architect who designed and
developed Piazza Carlina in 1851.
In the middle of the square there is a monument dedicated to Carlo
Benso Count of Cavour. He was a famous statesman. His statue holds
a piece of paper on which the following words are inscribed “
Libera Chiesa in Libero Stato”. This means “a free church
in a free state”.
 Antonio
Gramesci lived at building number fifteen of the piazza from 1919
to 1921. He was one among the greatest intellectual thinkers to
have come from Turin. He laid the foundations for the nascent trade
unions and workers’ movements. He was the founder of the newspapers
“Ordine Nuovo” and “I’Unita”. There
is a plaque in the piazza in his honour, which describes him as
‘leader for liberty and socialism, who forged the Communist
Party’. During the revolution a guillotine was set up here
in this piazza. A gibbet replaced it.
 Around
the piazza there are many famous monuments and buildings like the
Palazzo Roero di Guarene whose façade was designed by Juvarra
and the church of Santa Croce.
There are also many famous brasseries, wine shops, pubs and restaurants
surrounding the piazza. In summer it is full of festive tables when
people come out for a meal and some fun but even in winter it is
good to enjoy a hot cup of cocoa in this piazza. The gallery bookstore
Agora is also a frequent haunt of both the locals and the tourists.
 The
Piazza Carlina is also a participant in the project Luci d’
Artista. “Kingdom of Flowers” –Cosmic Nest of
All Souls by Nicola de Maria was exhibited in 2004. Lamps in the
Piazza Carlina are converted into brightly coloured and beautifully
illuminated nests of flowers. It is indeed a beautiful and illuminating
display, which begins in November and ends in January each year.
Although this piazza is open to car traffic and is not a pedestrian
zone it is still a very popular and well-frequented piazza in Turin.
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