Mole Antonelliana

For a time the Mole Antonelliana was the tallest brick building in Europe, and it is still a symbol of Turin. Named after its architect, Alessandro Antonelli, the building was originally designed to be a synagogue, but the local Jewish community was unhappy with it and backed out of the project. Later, the Mole Antonelliana housed the National Museum of the Italian Risorgimento (Resurgence), and then it became a private residence known as the Palazzo Carignano. Since 2000, the National Museum of Cinema—one of Italy’s most popular museums—has called the landmark home.

The Mole Antonelliana is included in a wide variety of sightseeing tours, including hop-on hop-off bus tours, walking tours, bike tours, and other itineraries that explore the city’s highlights. Independent travelers can purchase tickets to the museum, admission to the Mole Antonelliana’s cupola, or combination tickets to both.

• The Mole Antonelliana’s cupola viewing platform, which stands 278 feet (85 meters) high, offers some of the best panoramas of Turin.

• The cupola can be accessed by panoramic elevator

• Visiting this attraction is not recommended for visitors with limited mobility, heart or lung conditions, or other physical disabilities.

Given its convenient location in central Turin, the Mole Antonelliana can easily be accessed on foot, by car or taxi, or by bicycle. It is also served by bus Nos. 55, 56, 61, and 68, as well as tram lines 13, 15, and 16.

The Mole Antonelliana and the National Museum of Cinema are both closed Tuesday. Unreserved, guided cupola tours are held twice daily Saturday, Sunday, and holidays; additional guided tour slots can be reserved in advance.

If you’re visiting Mole Antonelliana, don’t miss the chance to tour the National Museum of Cinema. Among the world’s most important institutions dedicated to cinematic history, it showcases film posters, early video cameras, and thousands of other filmic artifacts. It also runs an adjacent theater complex: the Cinema Massimo.