What secrets lie within the walls of the Chiesa dei Santi Martiri? This church stands as a testament to faith art and Turin’s rich history. The Chiesa dei Santi Martiri is located on Via Garibaldi. It stands on the corner of Via Botero. It is dedicated to Turin’s oldest patron saints Avventore Ottavio and Solutore. Their relics have been kept here since 1584.
Let’s step back in time. The Chiesa dei Santi Martiri was built by the Jesuits. They replaced the old parish church of Santo Stefano which dated back to the 10th century. The Jesuits wanted a church for their order in Turin. They also wanted a place to keep the relics of the three martyrs. The Venerabile Compagnia della Fede Cattolica now the Compagnia di San Paolo invited the Jesuits to Turin in 1566. They were tasked with defending the faith during the Protestant Reformation.
Emanuele Filiberto strongly supported the church’s construction. He attended the laying of the first stone on April 13 1577. Pellegrino Tibaldi is believed to have designed it. Records show that the main structure excluding the dome was finished by 1612.
The Chiesa dei Santi Martiri suffered damage during the siege of Turin in 1706. Carlo Giulio Quadrio built a new dome from 1708 to 1711. The choir was enlarged and the interior was redecorated. The church was extensively restored and the work was completed in 2000.
Inside the Chiesa dei Santi Martiri you will find rich decorations. Marble stuccoes frescoes and artworks adorn the space. Isidoro Bianchi from Campione d’Italia decorated the choir with frescoes in 1629. Filippo Juvarra designed the main altar later in 1730. Around 1680 the Jesuit brother Andrea Pozzo frescoed the vault. Only two details of his work remain. Luigi Vacca and Francesco Gonin replaced the rest in the 19th century. Gianna Durando a painter from Milan adorned the sacristy with wooden furnishings and paintings.
Gregorio Guglielmi created the most notable artwork. It is the altarpiece depicting the Madonna with the three martyred saints. He completed it between 1765 and 1766.
Three notable figures from Turin’s history are buried in the Chiesa dei Santi Martiri. Joseph de Maistre was a Savoyard conservative philosopher. Giovanni Francesco Bellezia was a brave mayor during the terrible plague of 1630. Giovanni Botero was a priest and author of the 16th-century treatise Della Ragion di Stato.
Nino Costa a poet wrote a poem about the church in Piedmontese. It appears in the 1931 collection Fruta Madura. The poem describes the lavish decorations marbles and gilding of the interior. Costa associates these with the upper classes who attend church in carriages with servants. He questions the opulence of the Baroque church. He wonders why it exists when Jesus was born in a humble stable.
The Chiesa dei Santi Martiri has witnessed centuries of Turin’s history. It has been a place of worship a symbol of faith and a repository of art. Its walls hold stories of martyrs dukes artists and poets. Take a moment to appreciate the beauty and history that surrounds you. Think about the people who have walked these same steps over the centuries.