Page 228 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Italy

226 І NOR THWEST IT AL Y

Exploring Turin

Turin boasts numerous interesting museums, often housed in
splendid palazzi and civic buildings. The centre itself is fairly
small, with broad, straight streets, many lined with historic
cafés and shops. The Polo Reale, which includes the Palazzo
Reale, Museo Archeologico, Galleria Sabauda, Biblioteca
Reale, Armeria Reale, Royal Gardens and Palazzo Chiablese,
gives an insight into the importance of the House of Savoy.

The Egyptian Museum provides
a modern, easy-to-navigate
layout, virtual reconstructions
and video guides available
in six languages explaining
the important history of
archaeological missions. The
items on display are arranged
in chronological order, from
4000 BC to AD 700.
The ground floor hosts
monumental statues in rooms
decorated by the Oscar-winning
set designer Dante Ferretti, plus
the reconstruction of the
15th-century-BC Rock Temple
of Ellesija.
Granite statue of Ramses II (13th century BC) On the first floor is the
in the Museo Egizio Coffin Gallery, featuring fine
coffins, such as the14th-
E Museo Egizio century-BC Tomb of Kha and
Via Accademia delle Scienze 6. Merit, complete with the food, Gaudenzio Ferrari’s St Peter and a Donor
Tel 011 440 69 03. Open 9am– tools and ornaments buried (16th century), Galleria Sabauda
6:30pm daily (to 2pm Mon). & 7 with them for the afterlife.
∑ museoegizio.it The Papyrus Room holds a E Galleria Sabauda/
Turin owes its magnificent collection of enormous interest Polo Reale
Egyptian Museum – one of the to scholars: one document, Via XX Settembre 86. Tel 011 56 41 29
most important in the world – the Royal Papyrus, lists all the 31. Open 9am– 6:30pm Tue–Sun (last
largely to the Piedmont-born pharaohs up to the 17th adm 6pm). & 7 ∑ galleria
Bernardo Drovetti, who was dynasty, with their dates. The sabauda.beniculturali.it
stationed in Egypt as French museum holds three different The collection of artworks that
Consul General at the time of the versions of the Book of the Dead, make up the Galleria Sabauda
Napoleonic Wars. It was the booty including the oldest known was originally started in the mid-
he brought back that formed copy. On the second floor to late 1400s, and it has been
the basis of this very fine are artifacts from the Old expanded over the centuries by
collection of Egyptian artifacts. Kingdom to the New Kingdom. the Savoy family. Carlo Alberto
of Savoy opened it to the public,
and later King Vittorio Emanuele
II donated it to the nation.
The collection has moved
a few times, arriving at the
Manica Nuova of the Royal
Palace in December 2014.
The artworks are exhibited on
four floors in chronological
order, from medieval times
to the 1700s, in large, bright
rooms with self-explanatory
paths and multimedia aids
that enrich the visit.
Among works of particular
interest from the Italian schools
Detail from an 18th-dynasty papyrus Book of the Dead, Museo Egizio are Antonio and Paolo Pollaiolo’s
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp565–9 and pp584–90

226-227_EW_Italy.indd 226 4/4/17 5:34 PM
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v1.3)
Date 13th June 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm