The Cathedral of San Giovanni Battista, dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, is the Cathedral of Turin, located in the homonymous square, Piazza San Giovanni. The Cathedral of San Giovanni Battista is famous for housing since 1578 the Holy Shroud of Turin. SHORT HISTORY OF THE CATHEDRAL OF SAN GIOVANNI BATTISTA In ancient times, the area in which the cathedral was later built housed three early Christian churches, dedicated to San Salvatore, Santa Maria di Dompno and San Giovanni Battista. The one dedicated to San Giovanni Battista was consecrated during the time of the Lombard King Agilulf, at the end of the 6th or the beginning of the 7th century, when Saint John the Baptist was proclaimed patron of the Lombard kingdom. The three churches were demolished between 1490 and 1492, and on July 22, 1941, the regent of Savoy, widow of Charles I, Blanche of Montferrat, laid the first stone of the future cathedral. The construction of the cathedral was entrusted to Amedeo de Francisco da Settignano, who worked there until his death in 1501. The work on the cathedral was completed in 1505, and the consecration took place on September 21 of the same year. The project Read more [...]
Tag: church in Turin
Church of Gran Madre di Dio
The Church of Gran Madre di Dio, dedicated to Mary, Mother of Jesus (Great Mother of God), is a Neoclassical church in Turin, located in Piazza Gran Madre di Dio, on the eastern bank of the Po River. SHORT HISTORY OF THE CHURCH OF GRAN MADRE DI DIO The church was built to celebrate the return of King Vittorio Emanuele I of Savoy on May 20, 1814, after the retreat of Napoleon’s army and the end of the French domination. The project was entrusted to Ferdinando Bonsignore, the official architect of the court of Savoy, who designed the structure in Neoclassical style, inspired by the Pantheon in Rome. The first stone was laid by Vittorio Emanuele on July 23, 1818. The construction of the church was then interrupted for about a decade, and resumed only in 1827, under the reign of Carlo Felice. The church was inaugurated in 1831 under the reign of his successor, Carlo Alberto. ART AND ARCHITECTURE OF THE CHURCH OF GRAN MADRE DI DIO The church rises above the surrounding square thanks to a high base consisting of a wide staircase. At the end of the staircase, there is a large pronaos, consisting of Read more [...]