Located in the heart of Turin, Palazzo Madama, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to the first Senate in the Kingdom of Italy, embodies the city's history: from a Roman gate it became a fortress during the Middle Ages and subsequently a castle for the Acaja princes. Since 1934 the Palace has hosted the Civic Museum's ancient art collections, with over 70,000 works including paintings, sculptures, illuminated manuscripts, majolica and porcelain, gold and silver, furnishings and textiles that illustrate European art from the Early Middle Ages to the Baroque period. The museum itinerary follows themes related to history, architecture, and the collections.