San Domenico Church

Turin, Italy

The Church and Convent of Saint Dominic (Chiesa e Convento di San Domenico) is a Roman Catholic church located in the city of Turin. Throughout its history it has served as a church, as inquisition tribunal, and as a masonic lodge.

The church was built during the first half of the 13th century by Dominican friars, in gothic style. The adjacent convent was built in 1260 by Father John of Turin, who also established a library within the complex, thus making Saint Dominic, at the time, one of the cultural centers of the city. Shortly afterwards, towards the end of the 13th century, Saint Dominic became the seat of the Inquisition Tribunal of Turin, sentencing approximately 80 heretics to capital punishment throughout its existence.

The façade of the building was erected in 1334, and the bell tower in 1451. During the Black Death epidemic of Turin occurring in 1630, a steel grate was placed on the entrance of the church as to allow churchgoers to attend mass without entering the building itself. During the Napoleonic period, most of the relics and precious materials in the church went missing, and the building became the seat of a Masonic lodge. It is currently the only surviving gothic building in the city.

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Address

Via San Domenico 0, Turin, Italy
See all sites in Turin

Details

Founded: 13th century
Category: Religious sites in Italy

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Dr Curiosity (2 years ago)
Perhaps the only Gothic church left in Turin. On Sunday afternoon we passed by during the celebration of the mass of an African community, the songs and the joy of the choir made us want to enter to be dragged into prayer.
Alberto Gozzelino (3 years ago)
he church of San Domenico is a church located in the center of Turin. The facade of the church opens onto a small space inserted in the road axis of via San Domenico; the body of the church, however, extends along via Milano. It is the main medieval archaeological remnant of Turin. It underwent many restorations before being restored to its original Gothic characteristics. Construction began in 1227 and then expanded after the second half of the century. Inside you can see fragments of frescoes from the end of the fourteenth century. It has the specific characteristic of being the only medieval Gothic-style church in the city that has survived to the present day and, together with the Consolata church, it can be considered one of the oldest places of worship in the city. It was the center of the Turin Inquisition.
Antonio Occhiochiuso (3 years ago)
Splendid Church in the lively and popular heart of Turin: where, from the fourteenth century onwards, the social, demographic and cultural transformations of the city are manifested, there the Dominicans are present to witness the theological heritage that the Roman Catholic Church offers to men and women. women of many geographical and religious backgrounds, today and in the past. Inside, the frescoes in the chapel of the Graces are splendid. On the external facade, and in the sacristy, two plaques commemorate the sacrifice of Father Girotti.
Dani Rojo Gama (8 years ago)
A beautiful church. It doesn´t have a impressive facade or icons inside, but it´s worth a visit.
La Puissance (11 years ago)
Gothic experience
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