The Po in Turin
The Po runs through Turin from south to north along the eastern edge of the historic centre, separating it from the hill; the city owes it the Murazzi, a series of historic bridges and, during major floods, some of its worst disasters.[1][2]
The bridges
The Ponte Vittorio Emanuele I, between piazza Vittorio and the Gran Madre, is the oldest still standing in the city: ordered by Napoleon in 1807 and built in 1810-1813, it measures 150 metres by 12.9.[2] The Ponte Principessa Isabella, on the axis of corso Dante, was built in 1876-1880 to a design by Ernesto Ghiotti, with five arches spanning 160 metres.[3] The Umberto I bridge, from 1903-1907, replaced the Maria Teresa suspension bridge and in 1911 was given four sculptural groups.[4]
The Murazzi
The Murazzi are stone embankment walls about six metres high on the left bank, built to protect the centre from erosion; those along lungo Po Cadorna date back to 1873.[5][6] Until the 1950s the arches were used as boat storage, and since the 1980s they have housed bars and clubs.[6] In 2014 stretches of the Murazzi were dedicated to Fred Buscaglione and Gipo Farassino.[7] On 4 June 2026, four arches opened there to house a free space for young people run by Arci Torino.[8]
The floods
The flood of 3-6 November 1994 struck the provinces of Cuneo, Turin, Asti and Alessandria, with over 600 millimetres of rain in 48 hours and 70 deaths.[9] The flood of 16 October 2000 brought a peak flow of about 2,350 cubic metres per second to Turin, above the historic maximum of 1949, with a crest of 5.79 metres at the Murazzi: it was the most severe flood in the city since that of 1839.[10] The Murazzi also flooded in 1999, 2008 and 2010.[5]
Navigation
Using PNRR funds, the City is replacing the Valentino and Valentina boats with two sixty-seat electric catamarans, on a 5.5-kilometre route with five landings between the Murazzi and Borgo Navile; the service is expected to start by the end of 2026.[11][12]
Related articles: Borgo Po, Murazzi del Po
Pages linking here
- Borgo Po
- Dora Riparia
- Extinction Rebellion
- Extinction Rebellion satirical posters under the Via Po arcades (2 October 2026)
- Murazzi del Po
Sources
- MuseoTorino
- MuseoTorino
- MuseoTorino
- MuseoTorino
- MuseoTorino
- MuseoTorino
- Torino Oggi — 20 May 2026
- Quotidiano Piemontese
- Arpa Piemonte, Regione Piemonte
- Città di Torino, CittAgorà — 5 March 2025
- Torino Oggi — 10 February 2025