Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist of Turin

You’re now standing in front of Turin’s cathedral and its striking red-brick bell tower. Back when the city was still called Taurinorum, this site was home to a Roman theatre. That theatre was later replaced by three identical Romanesque churches. No one really knows why there were three, but we know for sure that the site was considered sacred. In the 15th century, those churches were demolished to make way for the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist you see today, dedicated to the city’s patron saint. Only the bell tower, dating back to 1470, was preserved from the earlier complex. The cathedral’s white marble façade is surprisingly understated for the period, and marks the first example of Renaissance architecture in Turin. While this may not be the city’s most spectacular cathedral, what makes it so special is the relic it once housed, the famous Shroud of Turin, said to have wrapped the body of Christ. This relic has sparked countless debates, and its authenticity has long been disputed, especially after carbon dating placed the cloth in the 14th century. But the mystery surrounding the Shroud continues to draw attention from around the world. When the Dukes of Savoy made Turin their official residence, they were determined to bring the Shroud with them. Though it had been kept in the Holy Chapel of Chambéry since around 1500, the relic was transferred to Turin in 1578. A grand chapel was needed to house it, but that would be no small feat, and the project took over a century to complete. The chapel was finished in 1690 by architect Camillo Guarino Guarini, in a magnificent Baroque style. Tragically, a fire nearly destroyed the chapel in 1997. The Shroud was rescued at the last minute by a firefighter, who quickly became a national hero. The restorations took decades and were only completed in 2021. Today, the chapel is open to visitors for a fee, and accessible from the back of the cathedral. When the last king of Italy passed away, he left the Shroud to the Church in his will. What you’ll see in the chapel today is not the relic itself, but a life-sized photograph of it. In the Chapel of Saint Eusebius, you can also view the tombs of several members of the House of Savoy, including Emmanuel Philibert.