Sanctuary Basilica of the Consolata and Juvarra Rotunda
Why is it significant?
Pause in the charming cobblestone square before the Sanctuary Basilica of the Consolata, the most beloved and venerated Marian shrine in Turin, officially dedicated to Our Lady of Consolation.
Key Facts
| Place | Sanctuary Basilica of the Consolata and Juvarra Rotunda |
|---|---|
| Address | Piazza della Consolata 1, 10122 Turin, Italy |
| Geo Coordinates | 45.07680, 7.67920 |
| Part of Walk | Royal Palaces, Shroud Cathedral and Roman Quarter: The Imperial Origins of Turin |
| Generated | Generated |
Pause in the charming cobblestone square before the Sanctuary Basilica of the Consolata, the most beloved and venerated Marian shrine in Turin, officially dedicated to Our Lady of Consolation. Originating in the tenth century atop a corner watchtower of the Roman wall as a Benedictine abbey, the shrine was transformed from 1678 by the genius of Guarino Guarini into a spectacular baroque complex featuring an elliptical nave bordered by radial chapels. In 1729, King Vittorio Amedeo II commissioned Filippo Juvarra to complete the sanctuary: the Sicilian master added the radiant circular presbytery with polished green marble columns and a magnificent high altar showcasing the miraculous icon of the Virgin. The interior is an intoxicating feast of polychrome marbles, gilded stuccowork, and thousands of painted ex-voto tablets hung by grateful citizens who credited the Virgin with rescuing them from wartime shellings and deadly plagues. The spiritual stillness touches every traveler.
Admire the massive Romanesque bell tower rising beside the basilica: built around the year one thousand by Abbot Gezone, it stands as the only complete early medieval structure surviving in Turin. Its square brick tower features four tiers of Lombard bifora windows housing the sanctuary's great bell, cast in 1748 and weighing over four tonnes.
Directly across the square sits the historic Caffe Al Bicerin, opened in 1763: it was at these very marble tables that Turin's signature drink was invented, combining hot espresso, melted bittersweet chocolate, and cold fresh cream, adored by Count Cavour and Alexandre Dumas.
Examine the walls covered in folk ex-voto paintings: hand-painted tin plaques depict dramatic escapes from carriage collisions, lightning strikes, and World War II air raids through divine intervention.
Walk south along Via della Consolata until you reach the open, sunlit expanse of Piazza Savoia.