Cappella della Sacra Sindone

Overview

The Chapel of the Holy Shroud is Guarino Guarini's 17th-century masterpiece, a virtuoso exercise in baroque geometry that once housed the Shroud of Turin. Its extraordinary nested-dome structure — built of dark marble and dramatically lit from hidden windows — is unlike anything else in European architecture.

Highlights

• Guarini's dome: A mathematically complex structure of intersecting arches that appears to spiral into infinity.
• Dark marble interior: The brooding grey-black marble creates an atmosphere of intense, almost mystical contemplation.
• Restoration triumph: After the devastating 1997 fire, a 21-year restoration costing €30 million brought the chapel back.

History

Commissioned by Carlo Emanuele II to house the Holy Shroud, Guarini designed the chapel between 1668 and 1694. The revolutionary dome influenced baroque architecture across Europe. On 11 April 1997 a fire caused catastrophic damage; the chapel reopened to the public in 2018 after one of Italy's most complex restorations.

Visitor Tips

• Access via cathedral or palazzo: The chapel can be entered from both the Cathedral and the Royal Palace circuit.
• Look up: The dome's geometric complexity reveals itself only when you stand directly beneath it.
• Duration: 20–30 minutes.