Visiting the Lingotto is an experience I particularly recommend to my guests in Turin. This iconic site allows you to understand an essential part of the city’s industrial and urban history.
Here is why FIAT Lingotto Factory is worth a visit.
The Lingotto was built between 1916 and 1923 based on a design by FIAT engineer Giacomo Mattè Trucco. It was once the heart of FIAT’s automobile production and was considered revolutionary: cars were assembled floor by floor and, at the end of the production process, reached the roof, where a legendary test track was located.
After car production ended, the Lingotto underwent a major transformation in the 1980s and 1990s. Architect Renzo Piano played a key role in this redevelopment, giving the building new life while preserving its historical identity.
Why visit the Lingotto?
The Lingotto is a unique example of modern industrial architecture. It is one of Turin’s most important architectural and cultural landmarks. It now represents the city’s ability to transform its industrial past into a contemporary identity.
For anyone interested in understanding history, technology, and urban development, visiting the Lingotto is a must.
What can you see at the Lingotto today?
The former factory is now a vibrant center for culture, events, and art: conference centers, hotels, shopping areas, university spaces, and more.
The exterior structure of the building has remained almost unchanged and still preserves the appearance of the historic factory. Inside the shopping complex, the renovation allows visitors to recognize the original architecture: on the ground floor are the spiral ramps used to bring finished cars down, and on the first floor the 500-meter-long corridors that once housed the assembly lines.
On the top floor you will find the Pinacoteca Agnelli, a small jewel of the Fondazione Agnelli, featuring 25 masterpieces dating from 1700 to 1900 as well as temporary exhibitions. In Casa 500, historical documents illustrate the birth and development of FIAT. From there, you can access the famous rooftop test track, which has recently been transformed into a garden and contemporary art park.
Visiting the Lingotto with an official guide
A guided tour is an excellent way to gain deeper insight into the history of FIAT. It includes the architecture of the Lingotto, the development of the company, and Turin’s industrial history. The tour places the building within a broader historical context and, in about two hours, provides a clear and well-structured overview of architecture, industry, and urban history: https://www.piemontetour.com/lingotto-fiat-and-turin-industrial-history/
TIP: Combine your visit to the Lingotto with a tour of the Centro Storico FIAT.