The Grand Ballon Antique Market
COME AND EXPERIENCE THE GRAN BALON EVERY 2ND SUNDAY OF THE MONTH!
It is the historic antique, vintage and collectors market of the city of Turin, since 1985.
It takes place from 8am to 6pm on the second Sunday of every month.
More than 300 stalls, 50 shops, bars and historic restaurants bring to life every second Sunday of the month the Gran Balon, the antique and vintage market of the city of Turin. This has been the market for 30 years.
The Gran Balon extends between the streets Lanino, Mameli, Canale Carpanini, Cortile del Maglio and Borgo Dora: antique dealers, second-hand dealers, collectors and craftsmen carefully display their goods, furniture, ceramics, books, clothing, vintage and artisan products.
In the Cortile del Maglio, objects and products made of paper are combined with vintage, creating special and interesting exhibitions that attract a large audience of enthusiasts.
Balon is Turin's historic flea market, located near the market in Porta Palazzo and in Borgo Dora, part of the Aurora district.
The term Balon derives from Bordo del pallone (Border of the ball), but its etymology is very old and can be interpreted in different ways.
balloon market
Balon January 2, 1900 – Fondazione Torino Musei – licensed under CC BY 4.0
One of the most fascinating theories about the term Balon goes back to the first time a hot air balloon took off. However, there are no sources for this theory, because the event took place decades later in France.
In the Middle Ages the current area was called burgum ad pillonos and it is believed that over time the name changed to Borgo del Pallone.
This theory was supported by the possible presence of the Osteria del Pallone, a meeting place for people with recreational and social purposes. Moreover, on a French topographic map of 1706, during the siege of Turin, the Borgo del Pallone was translated as Faubourg de Balon.
This theory was supported by the habit of the workers of the nearby tanneries who, in the early 1900s, would meet in the nearby sferisterio, which also served as a bowling alley. The inscription “Giuoco Bocce” is still visible in via Cigna.
golden village
Photo by Rocco Scuzzarella – licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
From this we can deduce that the origin of the name could come from the Piedmontese saying andoma a gieughe al balon, meaning "let's bet on the match with elastic balls".
In the Middle Ages, as mentioned earlier, the area was known as burgum ad pillonos, a production centre outside the city walls and rich in water, including the Canale dei Molassi, which allowed the operation of various mills, workshops and activities of the time.
The area then took on the name Borgo Dora and when at the end of the 18th century the Piazza della Repubblica, or Porta Palazzo, was redesigned by the Messinian architect Filippo Juvarra, the scrap market was moved there.
balloon
Photo by Simone – licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
In 1856 the canals were filled in and the area took on its current shape.
Along the streets of Balon there were several inns and buildings that served as stables for horses. Today, these buildings house characteristic shops, antique shops, taverns and bars. However, there are still some traces of the former activities.
Around 1868, with the construction of the Porta Milano railway station, the Balon area underwent significant commercial development. Subsequently, a major redevelopment took place in the 1980s and 2000s.
The Balon Market is very famous among the people of Turin for its unique characteristics, both in atmosphere and products. It takes place every Saturday and covers the main streets of the city up to the gigantic Porta Palazzo market.
palace door
In the 80s the Gran Balon was born, the market that takes place every second Sunday of the month and which brings together about 250 antique shops and exhibitors from the area. Furthermore, from 10:00 to 17:00 the Touret takes place, that is, free guided walks that lead from Via Garibaldi to the Balon.
In 2012, precisely in the summer, a small hot air balloon was anchored with a steel cable in front of the old arsenal, allowing you to enjoy the panorama over Turin up to a height of 150 metres.
Although there are no precise sources for the theory that the name Balon would have originated from the hot air balloon, this attraction quickly became its symbol. However, in 2019, the attraction was definitively dismantled due to economic and legal problems.
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