A Portal to the Unknown: The Mystical Devil's Door of Turin (6 photos) (Photo)

This ominous, majestic portal could lead you to a terrible fate. But that's not certain.





At the corner of Via XX Settembre and Via Vittorio Alfieri in Turin stands a door of ill repute. The ornate portal might not seem so terrifying at first glance. Flowers, fruit, and plump cherubs adorn many of the panels. A few less cheerful adult faces stare ominously from the side panels, but grim carved heads are not uncommon in Europe. The most famous detail is the disturbing door knocker, which depicts two snakes coiled around each other and emerging directly from Satan's mouth. This earned the door its ominous name—the Devil's Door.



This door opens into the Palazzo Trucchi di Levaldigi. It was designed by Pietro Danesi in 1675 and made in Paris. The commissioner was Giovanni Battista Trucchi di Levaldigi, then a count and inspector general of finances. It's difficult to say why such a high-ranking government official would want a door with such ominous motifs. Some claim that the building housed the first tarot factory in the 17th century. The Devil is associated with the 15th Tarot card, and at the time, the building was number 15 on its street. Tram route number 15 also passes by. Coincidence? Who knows.





This is the historical version of the gate's creation. As for the magical version, legend has it that the gate appeared out of nowhere one night. It is said that on that night, a sorcerer's apprentice summoned the dark forces and Satan himself. The Devil, irritated by this summons, decided to punish the overconfident sorcerer by imprisoning him behind the gate, which the unfortunate man could never open again.



Besides this story, other legends are associated with the gate. One of them dates back to the early 19th century, during the French occupation. Supposedly, a certain Major Melchiorre Du Perril entered the building to have a snack and retrieve secret documents. The man, who was awaited by a coachman outside, never left the building again. It is said that twenty years later, during renovations and reconstruction, workers discovered a skeleton stuck between the walls.



Another legend dates back to 1790, when the palace belonged to Mariana Carolina of Savoy. The story goes that during a grand, lavish carnival, one of the dancers entertaining the guests fell to the ground and was fatally stabbed. The culprit was never found, nor was the murder weapon.

That same night, a wild storm of wind and rain lashed the city, accompanied by blinding flashes, thunderous claps, and shattered glass. An icy wind blew into the palace, extinguishing all the candles, and the guests fled in terror. Soon after, the ghost of the same dancer, brutally murdered on Carnival night, began haunting the palace halls.



Later, a painting allegedly appeared depicting a ballerina dancing over the flames of hell. Neither this painting nor any evidence of this incident has ever been found.

In reality, if you open the door, there will be no ghosts, no dark wizards, and certainly no hellfire. The building now houses a branch of one of Italy's largest banks, making it a more or less repulsive place, depending on the purpose of your visit.