Photos by Davide Batticuore (info@batticuorefotografia.it)

The Murazzi, commonly called the Muri, consist of a long promenade that winds along the left bank of the Po. Their construction took place during the 19th century, piece by piece, in a not always organic way and through various projects and architects.

The first idea of creating an equipped riverside came to Ramée Perinchamp around 1810 during the construction of the Vittorio Emanuele I Bridge, which connects Piazza Vittorio Veneto with the Gran Madre. At that time, Turin was under French rule, the Gran Madre church had not yet been built, and the bridge was dedicated to Napoleon.

From the initial project, only the river containment walls were built. Subsequently, between 1833 and 1835, Carlo Bernardo Mosca designed and built the access ramps to Piazza Vittorio Veneto and a first section at the foot of the bridge, both on the left and right.

With the cholera epidemic of 1866, it was decided to review all the most dilapidated and hygienically critical neighborhoods. Among these was Borgo Moschino, a group of dilapidated and unhealthy houses overlooking the river at Corso San Maurizio. In 1872, a commission presented a project to renovate the Borgo with the extension of the Murazzo. The works that began in 1873 included the construction of a scenic staircase connecting the upper course. Commercial premises for activities requiring water, such as dyeing and laundry, were also planned.

Starting from the same year, work also began on extending the Murazzo in the opposite direction. By 1890, the construction was practically complete, with only the connection to the still-under-construction Corso Vittorio Emanuele Bridge missing.

The Murazzi in the 20th century

In 1907, the bridge dedicated to Umberto I was completed. With it, the construction of the last section of the Murazzi along with the connecting ramp to the bridge for the 1911 International Exhibition was planned.

From that moment until the late 1950s, the premises under the arches of the Murazzi were used for storing fishing boats. The progressive pollution of the river and the consequent reduction in fishing activities, however, led the entire area to overall degradation.

Starting from the 1980s, there was a rediscovery of the now disused premises, transforming the Murazzi into a place of nightlife with clubs and discos. However, from 2012, there was a progressive abandonment of the Murazzi with the closure of all the clubs that had made history.

The Rostral Column

In July 1597, during cleaning and restoration work at the port of Genoa, a bronze object in the shape of a boar’s head, probably belonging to some ancient Roman ship, was found. The curious artifact quickly became very famous, attracting the attention of travelers and scholars.

At first, it was decided to wall it above the entrance door of the Republic Arsenal in Genoa. However, in 1844, by order of King Carlo Alberto, it was brought to Turin to enrich the collection of the Royal Armory, where it is still exhibited today.

Two copies were made. First one was intended for Genoa to replace the original, now kept at the Civic Museum of Ligurian Archaeology. The second was intended for the Artillery Museum in Turin but is currently kept at the Carlo Amione Barracks near Piazza Rivoli in Turin.

But why does this story concern the Murazzi? Well, in 1873, during the southern extension of the Murazzi, it was decided to decorate the balustrade of the left bank of the Po with columns for public gas lighting. For some obscure reason, a 1845 design by Pelagio Pelagi was chosen, which precisely replicated the design of the bronze rostrum.

The two Rostral Columns, no longer used for lighting and heavily damaged by lack of maintenance and neglect, are still there to intrigue the few passersby who notice their presence.