Seminar in Turin

03.05.2026

Seminar in Turin Centro Robilant 05/2026

The Sports Center Robilant in Turin



Seminar at the Dojo Robilant

For Sunday, 3 May 2026, Pino had organised a seminar with Maurizio and Bernhard in Turin. So Alessandro and Bernhard set off early in the morning from Balerna (CH) and, after a journey of about an hour on the Italian motorway, joined Maurizio, Claudio and Vincenzo in Novara to cover the remaining 100 km in a single car. The somewhat tricky approach to the dojo through the city centre of Turin revealed some of the architectural beauty of the ‘Capitale’ (former capital of the Kingdom of Sardinia).
Pino’s dojo is located in the municipal Centro sportivo Robilant at the border of the big round and green Piazza Carlo di Robilant. The building complex is not the newest, but is well-equipped and well-maintained inside. There are many rooms for various sports such as dance, yoga, karate, etc., and various tennis and football pitches on the large grounds behind the main building. The aikido dojo is located in the basement and can be reached via winding corridors. Following the tragedy in Crans Montana (CH) on 1 January this year, the trained eye pays close attention to emergency exits and safety standards. These are clearly well implemented in this sports centre.
Maurizio began the morning with some interesting ki exercises and explanations of the tegatana. He then had us practise the first three techniques of tsuzukiwaza 11 katatedori irimi. After a short break, Bernhard continued the training with tsuzukiwaza 3 katadori ryotemochi, interspersing it with some similar techniques involving other attacks to illustrate the point and aid broader understanding.
At noon we were able to enjoy the pre-ordered lunch, consisting of two courses with dessert and coffee, in a separate side room of the restaurant in the sports centre.
In the afternoon, Bernhard continued the lessons with tTsuzukiwaza 13 katatedori ryotemochi. Maurizio then explained the concepts and subtleties of Jo 1 with bokken in the fourth lesson.
The atmosphere on the mat was excellent; everyone practised enthusiastically and was delighted to meet up again with Aikido friends whom they don’t see every day. Many thanks to Pino and all his helpers for the perfect organisation, and to all participants for their constructive cooperation.
The group from Balerna and Novara then set off on their journey home towards the east shortly before 7 pm.
The next training course with Bernhard and Maurizio will take place this coming weekend in Hechingen, at the foot of Hohenzollern Castle.

Seminar at Turin 05/2026

Group photo from the morning class



Carlo di Robilant

The municipal sports centre is named after Carlo Felice Nicolis, Count of Robilant (1826–1888), an Italian diplomat, military officer and politician. The people of Turin have erected a large monument to him in Piazza Cavour.
The city’s famous son was born in 1826, the son of Count Maurizio di Robilant and Maria Antonietta, née Truchsess von Waldburg, daughter of the Prussian ambassador in Turin.
His great-uncle, Prince Friedrich of Hohenzollern-Hechingen, wanted to send him to an Austrian military academy for training at the age of 13. Carlo himself was not keen on the idea and wrote, signing with his own blood: ‘je ne servirai jamais que mon Roi et ma patrie’ (I will serve no one but my King and my Fatherland).
Robilant attended the Military Academy in Turin and became a lieutenant in the artillery in 1846. During the Battle of Novara in March 1849, fought to liberate Italy from the Habsburgs, his horse was shot from under him and he himself suffered a gunshot wound to his left hand.
In 1867 he was appointed Prefect of Ravenna and in 1871 Italian Minister at the Court in Vienna. From 1876 he served as Ambassador there. In 1883 he was appointed to the Italian Senate.
Through his mother he was related to the Prussian nobility, and through his wife to the Austrian nobility. He fostered friendly relations between Italy and Germany, as well as with Austria. In 1885, he became Foreign Minister, but resigned from this post in 1887 following a defeat of the Italian colonial forces in Eritrea. In June 1888, he was appointed Ambassador to London, where he died in October of the same year.