Enter where Italy found its voice

An unexpected problem arises in Turin after the granting of the Albertine Statute by Carlo Alberto March 4, 1848. The absolute monarchy was abolished, and legislative power was now exercised jointly by the sovereign, the Senate (appointed by the king), and the elected Chamber of Deputies. The question therefore arose as to where to locate the two parliamentary chambers. Palazzo Madama was chosen for the Senate, and Palazzo Carignano for the Chamber of Deputies.

The 50 Day Bet

Palazzo Carignano, a 17th-century masterpiece designed by Guarino Guarini and the historic residence of the Princes of Carignano, is the chosen home for the Chamber of Deputies. The ballroom—an oval-shaped space originally intended for parties and ceremonies—must be transformed into a parliamentary chamber within a very short timeframe and "at the lowest possible cost."

The task of this undertaking is entrusted to the architect Carlo Sada. In just fifty days, Sada completed the installation: the oval hall was converted into an amphitheater-like semicircle, with the deputies' seats arranged in a semicircle and covered in red benches.

On May 9, 1848, the 204 deputies elected (following the first general elections in the Kingdom of Sardinia held on April 27, 1848) made their solemn entrance. Despite their enthusiasm, parliamentary life immediately proved "complex in terms of unprecedented procedures." It is even said that, in the absence of a ballot box, a hat was used to collect the ballots for the first round of voting.

A “very important part of the history of Italian unification” was built in this room.

The Garden of Unification

The hall of Palazzo Carignano became the cradle of modern political dialectics: the democrats positioned themselves on the left and the liberals on the right. Here, men like Abbot Vincenzo Gioberti were elected as the first president of the Chamber and prominent figures such as Cavour and Cesare Balbo, Massimo d'Azeglio, Alessandro Antonelli, Giuseppe Garibaldi himself.

For twelve years, between May 8, 1848, and December 28, 1860, the Subalpine Parliament passed laws crucial to the country's development and history: from the Siccardi laws of 1850, to the start of work on the Frejus tunnel in 1857, up to the discussions on the cession of territories such as Nice and Savoy in 1860.

The hour and farewell to Turin

With the territorial annexations that took place between 1859 and 1860, the number of deputies continued to grow: from the initial 204 seats it rose to 308. But with the further progress of unification in Central and Southern Italy, the Subalpine chamber became "too small to accommodate them".

The last session of the Subalpine Chamber was held on December 28, 1860, and concluded at 2:30 PM. The clock on the wall stopped at that time, marking the end of the seventh legislature and the final farewell of the deputies from the chamber.

The hall, which witnessed and experienced the birth of Italian democracy, was closed but not dismantled. It was immediately awarded the status of "monument of the nation," officially ratified in 1898. With its original furnishings, paintings, Gonin's fresco on the ceiling, and its stopped clock, it is now visible from the balcony of Room 15 and accessible from inside only on special occasions, such as March 17, the Day of National Unity, the Constitution, the National Anthem, and the Flag.