Palazzo Madama

Palazzo Madama Review

In the center of Piazza Castello, this castle was named for the Savoy queen Maria Cristina, who made it her home in the 17th century. The building incorporates the remains of a Roman gate with later-medieval and Renaissance additions. The castle's monumental baroque facade and grand entrance staircase were designed by Filippo Juvarra (1678-1736). The palace now houses the Museo Civico d'Arte Antica, whose collections comprise more than 30,000 items dating from the Middle Ages to the baroque era. The paintings, sculptures, illuminated manuscripts, and various decorative objects on display illustrate almost 10 centuries of Italian and European artistic production. Works by Jan van Eyck, Antonella da Messina (circa 1430-79), and Orazio Gentileschi (1563-1639) highlight the collection.