Palazzo Bricherasio

Palazzo Bricherasio, located in the heart of Turin on Via Lagrange, represents a magnificent example of seventeenth-century architecture, as well as a place of great historical and cultural significance for the city. Built in the first half of the seventeenth century, the building was initially a noble residence and has undergone several phases of transformation and restoration, reflecting the historical and artistic changes of the city. The Solaro di Monasterolo family, originally from Asti and owners of the palace in the eighteenth century, commissioned architect Carlo Emanuele Bovis for a major renovation in 1760, introducing the Rococo style, which still characterizes part of the building’s interiors today. This intervention gave the palace a new elegance and sophistication, visible in the decorations and furnishings of the main rooms. Among the illustrious guests who lived in Palazzo Bricherasio, one of the most famous is the Milanese writer Giovanni Berchet. A central figure of Italian Romanticism and deputy of the Kingdom of Sardinia, Berchet stayed there from 1849 to 1851, during which he actively participated in Turin’s political life alongside figures such as Cavour and Massimo d’Azeglio. A commemorative plaque on the facade of the building recalls his stay and his cultural and political contribution. In 1855, the palace was purchased by the Cacherano di Bricherasio family, one of the oldest and noblest Piedmontese families, known for their patronage and philanthropic works. Count Luigi Baldassarre Cacherano di Bricherasio commissioned further renovation works, entrusted to Barnaba Panizza, who renewed the interiors and facade in neoclassical style. The Bricherasio family continued to reside in the palace, which became a lively center of cultural activities, hosting receptions, exhibitions, and artistic initiatives organized by Countess Sofia and attended by prominent personalities such as sculptor Leonardo Bistolfi, writer Edmondo De Amicis, and musician Arturo Toscanini. A particularly important historical event took place on July 1, 1899, when the founding act of FIAT was signed in the main hall of the palace. Emanuele Cacherano di Bricherasio, fascinated by mechanical innovations, was one of the promoters and early members of the new automotive company, assuming the role of vice president. This moment marked the beginning of one of Italy’s most significant industrial stories. After Emanuele’s premature death in 1904, Sofia and her mother continued charitable activities, but with the death of Countess Sofia in 1950 and the absence of direct heirs, the palace was donated to the Opera di Don Orione. The building became a school for embroidery for girls in need and later a technical institute for mechanical experts. However, after a period of decline, in 1994 the palace was purchased by gallery owner Alberto Alessio, who initiated a careful conservation restoration and made it the headquarters of the Fondazione Palazzo Bricherasio, a prestigious exhibition center that hosted important international exhibitions until its closure in 2009. In 2010, Palazzo Bricherasio was purchased by Banca Sella, which designated it as the representative office of Banca Patrimoni Sella & C., ensuring public access for guided tours during certain periods of the year. The ground floor of the palace, renovated with a modern steel and glass structure, houses an elegant café, while the interiors, although modified, still retain original elements such as the staircase of the putti by Panizza. The palace has a quadrangular plan with regular proportions and a facade characterized by neoclassical windows, rusticated semi-columns, and stringcourse cornices. The roof, renovated in 1994, has dormer windows that house a large private apartment. The main facade on Via Lagrange, with the entrance gate and the grand atrium, leads to a quadrangular inner courtyard, offering a fascinating contrast between the ancient and the modern.