The Santa Maria del Monte dei Cappuccini Church In Turin was constructed toward the end of the 16th century, by transforming a 13th century fortress. Part of the convent next door is now used as the seat of a mountain museum called Museo Nazionale della Montagna Duca degli Abruzzi.
Santa Maria del Monte Church Turin
Address: Via Giardino, 35 – Torino. Phone: +39 011 6604144. Opening times: From 07.00 till 19.00. Ticket price: free. Bus: 53 (stop Cappuccini).
History and description
The Bastida di Torino had been built in the 13th century, to protect a bridge over the river Po.
Initially, Carlo Emanuele had commissioned Giacomo Soldati to design the new church. It was Soldati’s idea to transform the church into the end point of a path of votive chapels. He worked on the church from 1581 till 1583, when the Capuchin Fathers settled in the building.
Soldati’s plan had been to create a square plan, with rounded corners and protruding side chapels. When Ascanio Vitizzi took over, in 1610, he added a high drum, which is supported by pillars. This drum was later hidden by a vertical wall constructed in 1802.
The marble altars were designed by Carlo di Castellamonte.
One wing of the convent houses the Duca degli Abruzzi National Mountain Museum.