Does anyone know the history of the two statues located above the gate of Piazza Castello?
They depict the Dioscuri; namely, Castor and Pollux, the two sons of Leda.
Zeus had fallen in love with Leda, but to unite with her, since the maiden was already married to the king of Sparta, he turned one night into a swan. On the same night, however, Leda also joined with her husband, so 9 months later twins Castor and Pollux were born.
Both children were very close to each other, but they had a different nature: Pollux was immortal like his father Zeus, Castor was mortal like his father Tyndareus. Of course, at one point Castor died wounded in a duel, Pollux then in despair asked Zeus to make him immortal like himself: Zeus accommodated him and transformed both in the constellation Gemini.
Since antiquity, Castor and Pollux were believed to be protectors of youth, soldiers, but especially of knights and sailors.
That is why they were symbolically placed on the pillars at the central access of the gate of the Royal Palace in Turin.
Foto di @alessandra.corra - Archivio Regione Piemonte
