Palace

In 1872, with the city’s new growth and the construction of the great railway junction of Porta Nuova, Constantino Kraft took this villa and oversaw its transformation into the hotel “Grande Albergo Torino”, a famous place for the foreign upper class on journey. Actually the trade for the India passed through Turin, which was an obliged stop of the “Compagnia dei Vagoni Letto” on the Brindisi-Lione-Paris-London line. And on the hotel’s guest book we thus find the signatures of a Maharajah, in Turin in 1876, and of the Prince of Wales, in 1889. After the Crown Prince of Denmark in 1892, at the Grand Hotel de Turin also stayed the unfortunate Sissi, Empress Elisabeth of Austria. In the same year we find the signatures of King Leopold II of Belgium, Princess Clementine and the Duc d’Orleans. Turin, at the time, was a crucial stop on the way to the Indies and it was part of the Brindisi – Torino - Paris-London Wagonslits route. In 1904 Mr. Natale Ramondetti acquired the property of the hotel, which was closed for repairs and after a year the hotel was reopened with the addition of the word “Palace”, to distinguish it from the city’s other grand hotels. The Turin Palace Hotel has been refurbished during the years with works from the XVII century, precious mirrors, fine Chinese vases, and rare Japanese watercolours painted on silk, to emphasize its sophisticated home rather then hotel atmosphere. The Turin Palace Hotel attracted attention from the beginning of the Century for the construction of the ball room, the additional storey of one floor and for the careful refurbishing ended in 1987, which brought to the sight the precious woods, the silks, the marbles and the tapestry of the past. In more recent times,1987, the Turin Palace Hotel has hosted HM the King of Sweden, Carl Gustaf, who treated Piedmontese entrepreneurs to a sumptuous Swedish smorgasbord. It is currently frequented by ministers and politicians, artists, musicians, pop stars like the Rolling Stones, Sting, and Madonna, and leading entrepreneurs and industrialists from every part of the globe. The Turin Palace still is “a home away from home” for Ministers, politicians, high society members, musicians and entertainers from all over the world, like the Savoia Royal family, the Rolling Stones, Raymond Peynet, Helmut Newton, Arch Renzo Piano, Arch Isozaki to name a few. During the Winter Olympic Games in 2006, the Turin Palace has been accommodation partner for Torino 2006 hosting the Japanese Olympic Committee and the family of NBC Television.

Maraja, in 1876, Prince of Wales, in 1889. The Crown Prince of Denmark Princess Sissi of Austria. King Leopold I of Belgium Princess Clementine Duke of Orleans King Gustav of Sweden Giovanni and Umberto Agnelli Pininfarina Lavazza Bertone Giugiaro Armando Testa The Savoia Royal family Rolling Stones Raymond Peynet Helmut Newton Arch Renzo Piano Arch Isozaki

The Oriental Bar was the home to the Japanese Olympic Committee during the Winter Olympics 2006.