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Overview
When travelers hear the word
'Turin', perhaps it is the famous
shroud of Turin or the
multimillion-dollar automobile
manufacturer FIAT that they think
of. Whichever comes first to mind,
there is no denying that Turin is
the industrial capital of Italy,
hence a super affluent and
technologically advanced
metropolitan of the boot-shape
country. At any rate, it was here
that Italy was proclaimed a kingdom
for the first time in 1861, and
Turin was the foremost supporter of
baroque movement during its peak as
well. Rich in history and monuments,
Turin is also vested with attractive
contemporary trademarks, be it the
Juventus soccer club, the second
largest Egyptian Museum after
Cairo's, the retro FIAT mini
Coopers, or the best Italian
chocolate that entices you the most.
Come explore all that is magic in
this city!
History
Before the Roman conquest, the area
of Turin was populated by the
Taurini who were the people of
Celtic or Ligurian origin. It was
proclaimed the capital of the Duchy
of Savoy since 16th century. When
Italy became a united country under
King Vittorio Emanuele II, Turin was
designated the capital of the new
kingdom from 1861 before the capital
was moved to Florence in 1865, later
to be replaced by Rome in 1871. Over
time, the city became more and more
industrialized that it became the
prime target of aerial attack during
WWII. Turin started to recover in
1950s as FIAT had brought a wave of
motor industry and thus
technological and financial
re-development to the region. This
new image of Turin coupled with its
propitious location, the city is
appointed to host the 2006 winter
Olympics.
Geography & Climate
Turin is a city in northwestern
Italy and a capital of Piedmont. It
lies on the banks of the Po River
near the foot of the Alps in
northern Italy, 239 meters above sea
level and is 515 km northwest of
Rome. Apart from the majestic Po
River, three other rivers, the Dora,
the Stura and the Sangone cross the
city as well, contributing to the
rich in greenery and natural
resorces of Turin. Average daytime
temperatures in July are around
25º C with high humidity and
there are occasional thunderstorms.
However, evenings can be cool.
Winter can be freezing and snow is
not uncommon.
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