Where Dark and Light Magic Meet: Turin's Mystical Spirit

Turin is known for its Baroque architecture and legacy as an industrial powerhouse, but also for a reputation tied to local traditions and hidden meanings woven into the city's history. The city is said to be at the crossroads of light and dark magic. In the east stands the church Gran Madre di Dio, whose statues are said to reveal the Holy Grail. In the west, Piazza Statuto represents darker forces, anchored by the Phrygis Monument, whose winged figure is believed to depict Lucifer. This sense of mystery permeates a city steeped in superstition, from rubbing the finger of Columbus' statue in Piazza Castello to spinning on the bull in Piazza San Carlo for good luck. Yet to some, this mysticism is nothing more than smokes and mirrors. Sociologist Massimo Introvigne says Turin's magical reputation stems from a 1968 student hoax reported by the now-defunct La Stampa Sera. The hoax of the devil derives substantially from a Goliad joke, according to which in Turin there would be 40,000 Satanists. The news was taken up by newspapers from all over the world. It becomes impossible to deny. Though the hoax's origins are well-documented, it has been overshadowed by how deeply locals have embraced these practices. Tarot reader and University of Turin law professor Raffaella Siracusa invites us into her home offering a glimpse behind Turin's magical identity. Whether Turin's magical identity stems more from historical events or exaggerated narratives, the fact is that for locals, it is a tradition that has become part of the way the city is perceived and lived.