10 secrets of Turin you would never expect

2. Piazza Castello: the white heart of Turin

Castello is the main square of the city, near Palazzo Madame, the Royal Palace of the ex-royal House of Savoy facing North. The façade of the palace was once a roman door, Porta Decumana and it was the only entrance to the city; subsequently it became a fortress, then a proper castle. It underwent major changes during the XVII century by the orders of two Savoy ladies, they wanted to better the façade and this new look gave the palace its new name of Palazzo Madame, in honor of the two women. Rumor has it that underneath the palace there once were caves, tunnels and galleries used by alchemists looking for the Philosopher’s Stone. As for today, nothing has been found, except the obvious tunnels common to every castle, to corroborate this legend. Contrary to Piazza Statuto, Piazza Castello is known for its positive energies, the main source being between the statues of Castor and Pollux, where in the past centuries, the Shroud of Turin would be sometimes on display. Maybe this is the true reason behind the White Heart stories.
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