Among the numerous prominent figures of history and culture who have passed through Turin, the Swiss philosopher is also included Jean Jacques Rousseau.
He arrived in the Savoy capital on 12 April 1729, when he was still very young, at eighteen of age.
Alone and without money in his pocket, Rousseau was initially hosted at the Hospice of the Catechumens located at number 9 of via Porta Palatina, next to the Spirito Santo church. There he was registered as “Rosso, Gio Giacomo, of Geneva, Calvinist.” A few days later, on the 23rd of that same month, the ceremony took place with which the future philosopher renounced Calvinism to embrace Catholicism. In this regard, he wrote in the Confessions: “In general, Protestants are more educated than Catholics. This must depend on the fact that the doctrine of the former requires discussion; the second imposes obedience. The Catholic must accept the decision given to him; the Protestant must learn to decide“.
After this first religious phase, Rousseau felt free and saw in Turin “a city rich in resources“.
Here he found it accommodation in via Po, with a woman who rented a room shared with others for a penny a day. He found employment as a pottery engraver in Madame Basile’s workshop, but was immediately kicked out because, having fallen in love with the woman, he had kissed her hand. Subsequently he became secretary at two patrician houses in Turin, first that of the Countess of Vercellis and then of Count Solaro di Govone. Having fallen in love with the latter’s daughter, in a moment of emotion he poured wine on her. Also expelled from here, he abandoned the city and thus began his brilliant future as a philosopher.
And it was he himself, in the Confessionsto talk about his stay in Turin: “First of all I tried to satisfy my curiosity by covering the entire city, if only to perform an act of my freedom in that way. I went to admire the changing of the guard; I really liked military instruments. I followed some processions; I enjoyed the falsetto chants of the priests. I went to contemplate the royal palace […]. As I went back and forth, I got tired; I was hungry, it was hot [era giugno], I went into a dairy seller, they gave me a junket and two pieces of that excellent Piedmontese bread that I prefer to any other: for five or six cents I enjoyed one of the best lunches of my life. I had to find accommodation for myself. Already knowing enough Piedmontese to make myself understood, I didn’t take long to find him […]. They pointed out to me the wife of a soldier in Via Po, who received a penny a night from off-duty servants. In his house I found an empty bed and I lay down on it. […] We all slept in the same room, mother, children and guests“.
A stay, that of Rousseau, which contributed to expanding the prestige of the Savoy capital.
