Church of the Holy Martyrs on Via Garibaldi
Why is it significant?
Conclude your journey through the drawing rooms, historic cafes, and Risorgimento landmarks of Turin by stepping into the magnificent Church of the Holy Martyrs, situated beneath the porticoes of Via Garibaldi at number 25.
Key Facts
| Place | Church of the Holy Martyrs on Via Garibaldi |
|---|---|
| Address | Via Giuseppe Garibaldi 25, 10122 Turin, Italy |
| Geo Coordinates | 45.07220, 7.67950 |
| Part of Walk | Piazza San Carlo, Egyptian Museum and Palazzo Carignano: The Elegant Heart of Turin |
| Generated | Generated |
Conclude your journey through the drawing rooms, historic cafes, and Risorgimento landmarks of Turin by stepping into the magnificent Church of the Holy Martyrs, situated beneath the porticoes of Via Garibaldi at number 25. Commissioned in 1577 by Duke Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy and entrusted to the Jesuit Order to enshrine the sacred relics of holy martyrs Adventor, Octavius, and Solutor, third-century soldiers of the legendary Theban Legion and Turin's earliest Christian patron saints, the church was designed by Milanese architect Pellegrino Tibaldi. The monumental single nave, lined with opulent family chapels adorned with rare polychrome marbles, gilded stuccowork, and seventeenth-century altarpieces, leaves visitors spellbound by the richness of its Jesuit decorative scheme, culminating in the theatrical high altarpiece painted in 1688 by Andrea Pozzo. The church opens onto Via Garibaldi, the ancient Roman decumanus maximus, celebrated as one of the longest pedestrian shopping streets in Europe.
Look up at the painted barrel vault frescoes executed in 1845 by Luigi Vacca and Francesco Gonin: their dramatic depictions of the Theban soldiers' martyrdom glow with vibrant colors and foreshortened architectural perspectives that draw the gaze upward in spiritual awe.
The Jesuits made this church the intellectual and theological nerve center of Turin for over two centuries: scientists, magistrates, and the royal family gathered here in prayer before making major state and military decisions.
Notice the gilded bronze urn resting beneath the high altar: it has faithfully preserved the ancient relics of Turin's three soldier-martyrs for more than four centuries.
Here, at the crossroads of ancient Roman foundations and the baroque glory of the Holy Martyrs, our exploration of Turin's aristocratic drawing rooms and historic intellectual cafes comes to a close, honoring an austere and cultured metropolis that guided Italy forward with quiet resolve toward national freedom.