Mole Antonelliana: when architectural obsession becomes the beating heart of cinema
Standing 167.5 meters (550 feet) tall, this brick spire has pierced the Turin skyline since 1889. You can spot it from miles away. With its neoclassical dome topped by a dizzying steeple, the Mole Antonelliana embodies the boundless ambition of its architect, Alessandro Antonelli. What was intended to be a synagogue evolved into a symbol of Turin and the home of the most spectacular film museum in the world.
Architecture that defies logic
The story began in 1863, when the Jewish community of Turin commissioned Antonelli to build a temple. The architect had grander ideas. Costs skyrocketed, and construction dragged on for 26 years. Eventually, the city purchased the unfinished building in 1877 to transform it into a monument to national unity. This folly of grandeur resulted in the tallest masonry building in Europe of its time.
The neoclassical columns on the ground floor contrast with the Gothic verticality of the dome. It is an eclectic mix that some call kitsch and others call visionary genius.
The temple of the seventh art that defies gravity
A museum designed as a spiral toward the stars
Since 2000, the National Museum of Cinema has occupied the core of the Mole. Step through the red curtains at the entrance, and you enter the behind-the-scenes world of filmmaking. The journey begins on the lower level with the archaeology of cinema, featuring Chinese shadow theaters, magic lanterns, kinetoscopes, and other ancestors of the big screen. These optical devices show how humanity mastered moving images long before the Lumiere brothers.
The temple hall: a dizzying 85-meter void
Once you reach the third floor, it is hard not to catch your breath. The interior of the Mole is entirely hollow. Your gaze is pulled upward by this secular cathedral where a glass elevator climbs to the dome in 59 seconds. On the floor, red lounge chairs equipped with individual speakers face two giant screens. The dim lighting, animated projections on the vault, the imposing sculpture from the film Cabiria (1914), and the mechanical dial from Metropolis suspended overhead create a unique atmosphere. You will want to linger here for a few minutes to watch a film clip in this temple dedicated to the seventh art.
Insider tip: On Saturdays and Sundays at 12:00 PM and 4:30 PM, you can hike between the shells of the dome. It is an under-the-radar experience that lets you understand the internal architecture of the building. Allow one hour for the climb and descent. Reservations are not necessary, but arrive early.
The panoramic view that makes the trip worth it
The panoramic elevator propels you to a height of 85 meters (279 feet) for a 360-degree spectacle. Turin spreads out beneath your feet with its red roofs, geometric arcades, and baroque squares. Beyond, the green hills of the Po river and, on a clear day, the majestic barrier of the snow-capped Alps close the horizon. This viewpoint is the most comprehensive in the city, inaugurated in 1961 to celebrate the centenary of Italian unification.
Collections that tell a century of magic
The museum preserves a massive heritage: 80,000 photographs, 300,000 posters, 20,000 devices, and 12,000 film reels. The upper floors reveal themed rooms dedicated to westerns, science fiction, horror, and comedy. Costumes, sets, annotated scripts, and filming equipment, every object tells a story. The interactive scenography by Francois Confino turns the visit into a cinematic experience where you are both spectator and actor.
Opening hours
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The Mole is definitely one of the must-sees in Turin. The building is really magnificent. Inside, I found the tour of the Cinema Museum to be comprehensive and very interesting. The exhibits are varied and rich. You can also head up to the panoramic terrace at the top of the building for a small extra fee. The view from there is breathtaking.