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Among the many characteristics of Turin, this is perhaps the most curious. There are several streets and squares that we are now used to identifying by a certain name, but in reality, they are places that don’t exist.
Places that (almost) don’t exist
Let’s start with those names that can lead to misunderstandings.
The most famous, I believe, are Piazza Vittorio Veneto and Corso Vittorio Emanuele II. For the people of Turin, these two places are simply Piazza Vittorio and Corso Vittorio. No one pays much attention to the second part of the name.
Don’t believe me? Try asking for directions to the wrong Piazza Vittorio Emanuele. No one will tell you it doesn’t exist. Everyone will point you to Piazza Vittorio.
Curiously, Ponte Vittorio Emanuele I is always called correctly. At least by those who know it, otherwise it’s the Ponte di Piazza Vittorio or Ponte della Gran Madre. You can verify it yourself. Try asking again how to get to Ponte Vittorio, no one will know! Ask for Ponte Vittorio Emanuele I and someone will know. If you try with Ponte di Piazza Vittorio or Ponte della Gran Madre, you’ll get 100% correct answers!
A similar situation occurs if you ask a passerby about Corso d’Azeglio. Caught off guard, no one can associate Corso d’Azeglio with Corso Massimo d’Azeglio. Why? Because that is Corso Massimo!
Places that don’t exist. Famous ones…
There are also places that truly do not exist.
One of the most famous is undoubtedly Piazza Carlina. Piazza Carlina does not exist! Surprised? Come on, you knew that.
Since its opening, Turin’s toponymy identifies it as Piazza Carlo Emanuele II. The square was built by Amedeo di Castellamonte at the behest of Carlo Emanuele II. However, it was nicknamed Carlina precisely because of the Duke of Savoy. The people of Turin called the duke this due to his particularly effeminate manners.
Giardino Luigi Martini does exist. Do you know where it is? I admit this is difficult. Even those who know it won’t be able to answer the question off the top of their heads. I believe only those who live there would answer correctly immediately.
Well, Giardino Luigi Martini is none other than Piazza Benefica! I bet you all know it now, right?
The name comes from Casa Benefica, an institute providing educational and social assistance services for orphans. This case is even more curious. Not only does the name change, but also the gender. It is not a square but rather a garden named after a politician and a Freemasonry member.
Another example is Piazza dell’Obelisco. This one also does not exist. But it’s easier than before. In Turin, there is only one square with an obelisk, which is Piazza Savoia.
In the center of the square, there is an imposing obelisk commemorating the Siccardi laws. Hence the common nickname Piazza dell’Obelisco. However, it should be noted that the official name of Piazza Savoia is not intended for the Savoy family. Instead, it refers to the French region.
… and less famous places that don’t exist
Many residents of Barriera di Milano often go to the market at the non-existent Piazza Cerignola (my grandmother was one of them). Once again, this square does not exist! It is actually called Piazza Foroni. It took this bizarre name because, during the migration years of the last century, there were many vendors from Cerignola in Puglia. The square still retains this name, although only among the local residents.
And what about the Curva delle Cento Lire? This distinctive curve is located in the Barca neighborhood, at the end of Lungo Stura Lazio. Well, there is no curve with this name.
I don’t know where this habit comes from. Perhaps from its perfectly circular curvature. Unfortunately, it is also known for the many accidents (often fatal) that occur there.
La Pellerina does not exist! Surprised? The official name of the park is actually Parco Carrara. Try asking about Parco Carrara and you will only see puzzled faces. It is called Parco della Pellerina after an old farmhouse in the area, but the official name is different.
In this discussion, we cannot forget the Santuario della Consolata. Believe it or not, there is no Santuario della Consolata in Turin. However, there is the Santuario di Maria Consolatrice. Here we even have a role reversal between the one who acts and the one who receives the action.
Finally, a place that does not exist and that perhaps few know about. It is Borgo Cina. A popular and populous area of Mirafiori Nord that has nothing to do with the Asian country.
It seems that the name comes from the fact that in the morning, workers would pour into the streets en masse to reach the nearby FIAT factory already dressed in work overalls. Just like many Chinese.
Imprecise places
There are also some other places that are pronounced correctly, but very few know their true meaning. Often, people go by intuition, referring to the most common meaning. And often, the intuition is wrong!
One of these, Piazza Savoia, we have already discussed. The square is dedicated to the French region, not the ruling dynasty.
However, this is not the only example.
Via Saluzzo, for example, is not dedicated to the town in Cuneo, as is often believed. It is named after the Saluzzo-Provana family.
Similarly, Via Valperga Caluso has nothing to do with the two towns. The street commemorates the philosopher, astronomer, and physicist Tommaso Valperga Caluso.
Let’s continue with Via Millelire. Younger people might think it is in memory of the old currency in circulation in Italy. Instead, it refers to Domenico Millelire, an officer of the Royal Navy.
The name Piazza Bengasi is correct. However, the accent is usually wrong. The correct pronunciation of the Libyan city is Bengàsi, while we are used to pronouncing it as Bèngasi.
The error is so common that, to avoid confusion, the incorrect version has been used even in the recorded announcement of the metro.