Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Macchu Picchu
Peru • 10 days, 9 nights
Peru: Machu Picchu & the Last Incan Bridges
from
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Saquon Barkley Plaque
Kirkkasik Bedesten inside
Kirkkasik Bedesten
Someshwar Temple
Someshwar Temple
Grilled cheese and tomato soup are soulmates.
The Palisades Restaurant
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The local catch is delicious fried as well.
Terry's of Charlevoix
Carlson’s Fishery is a Great Lakes institution.
Carlson’s Fishery
The Cathedral Café maintains the building’s original church exterior.
Cathedral Café
Exterior of the historic Dyffryn Arms pub.
Dyffryn Arms
Most of what’s on the menu here comes from Michigan.
The Glenwood
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Siegfried Tieber specializes in sleight-of-hand magic using small objects, as well as mentalism, which gives the illusion of reading minds.
Does a Magician Really Never Reveal Their Tricks? AO Wants to Know.
12 days ago
Decoy’s wines reflect the terroir of California.
How a Wooden Duck Migrated From the California Wetlands to a Wine Label
14 days ago
There’s more to the French capital than the Eiffel Tower.
Dear Atlas: What Are Some Non-Touristy Things to Do in Paris?
18 days ago
The plants around Liz Dauncey in this photo are not poisonous, but many common garden and houseplants are.
Are Some of Your Favorite Houseplants Poisonous? AO Wants to Know.
25 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Italy Turin Fetta di Polenta

Fetta di Polenta

When this funny little building went up in the 19th century, most people thought it would simply fall over.

Turin, Italy

Added By
maquid
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
The slice of polenta, head-on   JustineF0402
The slice of polenta, head-on   JustineF0402
Front of the slice, from Corso San Maurizio   maquid / Atlas Obscura User
The back of the slice, from Via Giulia di Barolo - less than 2 feet wide at the back   Maquid (Atlas Obscura User)
Mmm… polenta   Pequod76
The façade on Via Giulia di Barolo   Pequod76
The cityscape around the slice   Pequod76
Mole Antonelliana - the symbol of Turin, built by the same architect as the Slice of Polenta   Luca Galli
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

There are two buildings in the northern Italian city of Turin, built by the same man. They are on opposite ends of the size spectrum. On one end is the symbol of the city, Mole Antonelliana, or “Antonelli’s Big One”. On the other is the Palazzo Fetta di Polenta: “A Slice of Polenta”.

19th century architect Alessandro Antonelli is responsible for Turin’s most famous building, the Mole Antonelliana, built in the 1860s originally as a synagogue (it now houses the Museo Nazionale del Cinema, the National Museum of Cinema). Just three blocks to the east is a more modest building, officially called Palazzo Scaccabarozzi, but it has come to be known by its more descriptive nickname. 

It was early in Antonelli’s career, 20 years or so before his monumental achievement, when the young builder was working for a local construction company putting up palazzos and apartment buildings near the River Po. As a bonus for his hard work he was given a small trapezoid of land, left over from other projects on the block. The piece of land was oddly shaped. Really odd. The front was less than 17 feet wide, and the back is a mere 54 centimeters – less than two feet across.

Antonelli tried to buy the neighboring plot to expand his little flatiron piece of land, but when that didn’t work out he figured he could build anyway – a test of his engineering mettle.

Up the building went, originally just four floors of flats and two floors below grade. Later three more floors were added to the top, a testament to Antonelli’s success conquering the challenge of height over width.

At the time people were fearful that the building wouldn’t stand, so to prove them wrong the young architect moved in himself. He stayed for about a year, but soon moved to larger quarters. It didn’t matter; he had proven his point. Now, over 175 years later, the cornbread still stands.

Related Tags

Architectural Oddities Architecture Engineering

Know Before You Go

Palazzo Fetta di Polenta is in downtown Turin, just a few blocks north of the River Po and close to the University. The flats are privately owned, so you can't go inside without permission, but you can experience the slice of cornbread from the street. It is 3 blocks west of Mole Antonelliana, the National Museum of Cinema and Antonelli's greatest architectural achievement. The closest stop is 566 S. Maurizio, on bus lines 15, 30 & 55.

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Flavors of Italy: Roman Carbonara, Florentine Steak & Venetian Cocktails

Savor local cuisine across Rome, Florence & Venice.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

maquid

Published

August 12, 2016

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.guidatorino.com/la-fetta-di-polenta/
  • http://www.guidatorino.com/la-fetta-di-polenta/
  • https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casa_Scaccabarozzi
  • http://www.guidatorino.com/la-fetta-di-polenta/
  • https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casa_Scaccabarozzi
Fetta di Polenta
9 Via Giulia di Barolo
Turin
Italy
45.067831, 7.697013
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Egyptian Museum of Turin

Turin, Italy

miles away

The Dome of San Lorenzo

Turin, Italy

miles away

Villa Scott (Villa del Bambino Urlante)

Turin, Italy

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Turin

Turin

Italy

Places 17
Stories 8

Nearby Places

Egyptian Museum of Turin

Turin, Italy

miles away

The Dome of San Lorenzo

Turin, Italy

miles away

Villa Scott (Villa del Bambino Urlante)

Turin, Italy

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Turin

Turin

Italy

Places 17
Stories 8

Related Places

  • Græshoppebroen (Grasshopper Bridge)

    Karrebæksminde, Denmark

    Græshoppebroen (Grasshopper Bridge)

    This distinctive bug-like bridge is made of recycled horseshoes.

  • Vauxhall bridge “Architechture”

    London, England

    Vauxhall Bridge's Miniature St. Paul's Cathedral

    A tiny replica of the iconic London landmark hides on the side of the steel structure.

  • The vaulted ceiling.

    Torrelavega, Spain

    Vaulted Ceiling of Iglesia de la Virgen Grande

    This magnificent brick dome was made with an unusual design method.

  • Porto Flavia

    Masua, Italy

    Porto Flavia

    This cliff-face port is considered a masterpiece of mining engineering.

  • The High Bridge and Glory Hole.

    Lincoln, England

    High Bridge

    The oldest of the three remaining bridges in England with buildings on top of them.

  • Kawazu-Nanadaru Loop Bridge.

    Kawazu, Japan

    Kawazu Nanadaru Loop Bridge

    An ingenious solution to a tricky engineering problem, this spiraling bridge takes drivers for a dizzying spin.

  • Brock Commons

    Vancouver, British Columbia

    Brock Commons Tallwood House

    The "plyscraper" is the world's tallest building made predominantly out of wood.

  • The Paternoster in Sheffield’s Arts Tower.

    Sheffield, England

    Paternoster Lift

    One of the last doorless, continuously moving elevators still in use in the U.K.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.