Turin Cathedral
Turin
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
Turin Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of San Giovanni Battista, is one of the city’s landmarks. Built between the late 15th and early 16th centuries, it is the only Renaissance-style building in Turin.
Its façade, in white marble, is elegant and bright. Next to it, separate from the main structure, stands the bell tower, dating back to 1470 and later raised in the 18th century by Filippo Juvarra.
Inside, the space opens into three naves, flanked by a series of side chapels and crossed horizontally by a large transept, surmounted at the centre by an octagonal dome that lends light to the room. Behind the apse lies the Cathedral’s true treasure: the Chapel of the Holy Shroud. This Baroque-style chapel is topped by a spectacular multi-tiered dome, designed to create an optical illusion that makes the space appear much taller than it is.
After a devastating fire in 1997, the chapel remained closed for over 20 years. Today, fully restored, it can once again be visited and continues to enchant everyone who enter.
THIS PLACE IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE
The cathedral’s importance is closely tied to the Holy Shroud, a Christian relic believed to have wrapped the body of Jesus Christ after his crucifixion. It has been preserved in Turin Cathedral since 1578, originally in the Chapel of the Shroud and today under the Royal Tribune in a protected reliquary. The relic is only displayed to the public on special occasions, known as “ostensione”.
For the people of Turin, this is not only a place of worship, but also a powerful symbol of the city and its history. The presence of the Shroud gives the building a unique spiritual and cultural importance, making it a destination for pilgrimage and reflection.