The Architectural Splendor of The Basilica of Superga: A Masterpiece Revealed
Just one piece of advice for people who are going to Piedmont or who are near Turin and have a few hours to spare: you should check out the Basilica of Superga.
Do you really need to ask?
Even though it’s not as well known as the Colosseum, the canals of Venice, the Portici of Bologna, or the churches of Florence, it is one of the most beautiful and scenic places in all of Piedmont, if not all of Italy.
Why Visit the Basilica of Superga: A Must-See Historical Site in Turin
As early as 1706, the city of Turin was in danger from the Franco-Spanish armies of Louis XIV. The Piedmontese army, along with its Austrian allies, faces a significant challenge. Vittorio Amedeo II makes a solemn vow in a small church on the hills, in front of a statue of the Madonna delle Grazie: if he wins, he will have an imposing church built there in honor of the virgin.
The Creation of the Basilica of Superga: A Promise Fulfilled by Duke Amedeo
Eleven years later, Duke Amedeo kept his promise by commissioning architect Filippo Juvarra to build the Basilica of Superga. The first stone of the sanctuary was laid in 1717, with the intention of imitating the grandeur of Michelangelo’s dome at St. Peter’s Basilica.
Discover the Origin of the Name ‘Superga’ and Its Historic Significance
The statue of the Madonna delle Grazie, which is now housed in the Basilica’s Chapel of the Vow, was at the time of the events in a small temple dedicated to Santa Maria Sub Pergolam, so named for the pergola that shaded the small religious structure. Some historians believe the name Superga is derived directly from this, while others believe it is derived from the Celtic term Serraperg, which means high ground, referring to the hill on which it stood.
The Inauguration of the Basilica of Superga and Its Connection to the Savoy Dynasty
The Basilica was officially inaugurated in 1731, emphasising the strong emotional bond that will forever bind the Savoy family to one of the most evocative sacred places in the Piedmontese city, rich in history and anecdotes. In fact, it is said that Prince Eugenio (cousin of Duke Vittorio Amedeo), who, as leader of the Austrian allies, allowed the vote to be realized through military tactics, achieving victory over his enemies, asked that his heart be kept in the Basilica of Superga before his death in Austria in 1736 to demonstrate how important that religious building was to him.
Unfortunately, Juvarra’s fate was different, and despite his desire to be transferred to Superga, he was unable to do so. He also went missing in Spain in 1736 and was buried in the church of San Martino in Madrid, but the great architect’s remains were never discovered due to a collapse.
Exploring the Architectural Wonders of the Basilica of Superga
The majestic Baroque architectural complex rises 75 meters into the sky and is 51 meters long, standing on a hill that was lowered by 40 meters at the design architect’s request. Inside the sacred building, there are six chapels and four altars (in addition to the main one), all decorated with Carrara marble monuments and statues. The altar paintings and dome, which were inspired by Borromini’s work, are also very valuable.
The Basilica, managed by the Order of the Servants of Mary, which still resides within the convent, is one of the most important places of worship in Turin, as well as because the crypt, built in the basement at the request of Vittorio Amedeo III (the nephew of Duke Vittorio Amedeo II), houses 62 tombs of the House of Savoy. The crypt, which has an elongated Latin cross plan, was designed by Juvarra’s nephew, Francesco Martinez, and completed in 1778 after four years of work.
Planning Your Visit to the Basilica of Superga: Tips and Hours
The Basilica is open free of charge during the summer (March/October) from Monday to Friday (9-12 and 15-18), Saturday and Sunday (9-12 and 15-19), and winter (October/March), with hourly early afternoon closures.
In addition to the sacred building, you can explore other interesting rooms within the basilica, beginning with the Royal Apartment, which was originally intended by Vittorio Amedeo II as a place to retreat in his final years. The Royal Apartment was to be a three-story building built next to the Basilica as part of the duke’s project, but Juvarra’s work on this residence was never completed. It was then decided to set aside a portion of the first floor of the building to host the royals during their visits to Superga.
The apartment, which has 5 rooms, can be visited by groups of up to 15 people via a 45-minute guided tour. We begin in the Antechamber, where we are greeted by the sculpture of a child in a basket by Benedetto Cacciatori. We then proceed to the reception area, where you can admire a magnificent bust of Carlo Alberto of Savoy and a breakfast table with a folding top. Instead, the Green Room houses, among other works, five paintings commissioned by Carlo Alberto that depict Savoy family sovereigns and episodes of subjects’ loyalty to their rulers.
A late nineteenth-century table with a checkerboard motif on its circular top is also noteworthy. In the Pink Room, there is a painting of the Madonna and Child of Spanish origin, embellished with a floral motif frame; a view of the Valentino Castle by Carlo Bossoli; and a painting depicting Duke Emanuele Filiberto’s meeting with Torquato Tasso.
One of the most intriguing and extravagant works depicts a rooster with his paws resting on a lily, intent on pecking snakes.
Finally, the Royal Dining Room features four massive paintings depicting Vittorio Amedeo II, Carlo Alberto, Vittorio Emanuele II, and Umberto I, as well as period furnishings.
Ticket price
The entrance ticket is 5 euros (full) and 4 euros (reduced); visiting hours are from Monday to Sunday from 9.30am to 7pm from 1st March to 31st October (closed on Tuesday), while from 1st November to 28th February, the Royal Apartment is open to the public only on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays from 10am to 6pm, during the Christmas period (25 December-6 January) or during the week, but only by reservation for groups of at least 20 people.
You enter the Hall of the Popes through the beautiful cloister designed by Juvarra with double arches, where you can see the Italian gardens that form a labyrinth of hedges, with a well in the center with a characteristic pagoda-shaped roof. It was originally a summer refectory for the fathers of the Royal Congregation of Superga, commissioned at the time by Vittorio Amedeo II, and it was precisely to the fathers that we owe the idea of a collection in which to collect all the images of the popes: the room houses 265 paintings, including that of the current pope, Francis. The basilica’s mausoleum is reached by descending a marble staircase that ends with a statue of the archangel Michael defeating the devil.
The crypt
The crypt contains the Savoys’ funerary monuments: one to Vittorio Amedeo II, the Basilica’s founder and king of Sardinia; one to Ferdinand of Savoy, father of Margherita, Italy’s first queen; and one to Carlo Emanuele III, complete with sculpture depicting the Battle of Guastalla of 1734. The Sarcophagus of the Kings, located in the heart of the crypt, has housed Carlo Alberto’s body since 1849, when he established a monarchy in Sardinia with his Albertine Statute.
The sarcophagus was designed by architect Martinez, who used Busca onyx and embellished it with four small angels in white marble by the Collino brothers. The Sala degli Infanti, located in the mausoleum’s lateral arms, was originally intended to house the princes of the House of Savoy who died at a young age. In reality, 14 children and 9 adults were taken there, including Princess Maria Clotilde of Savoy.
The Hall of the Queens
The Hall of the Queens, as the name suggests, welcomes the bodies of the Savoy rulers. The funeral monuments of Maria Teresa of Tuscany, wife of Carlo Alberto; Maria Adelaide of Habsburg, wife of Vittorio Emanuele II, who died at the age of 33 from typhus; and Maria Vittoria dal Pozzo, wife of Amedeo Ferdinando d’Aosta, are among the most interesting. The latter, who dedicated her life to the poorest women of her time, the washerwomen, received magnificent silk flower crowns as a gift at her funeral, which are still kept in a shrine near her sarcophagus.
For those who want to see the city of Turin from above, they can climb up to the basilica dome (the entrance is inside the sacred building), which is reached via a spiral staircase with 131 steps. On clear days, the view from the external balcony encompasses the beautiful Alps, including Monviso, Gran Paradiso, and Monte Rosa. The ticket prices are 3 euros (full) and 2 euros (reduced).
Summer hours
Summer hours are Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (early closing at 5 p.m. in March), Saturdays from 9.30 a.m. to 7 p.m. (6 p.m. in March), and Sundays from 12.15 p.m. to 7 p.m. During the winter, the hours of operation are limited to Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 12.15 p.m. to 5 p.m., as well as holidays from December 25 to January 6. Access to the dome is not permitted in inclement weather or during liturgical functions.
Ristoro del Priore Restaurant
What about those who want to eat delicious Piedmontese food while admiring such a breathtaking view?
The rooms on the first floor of the basilica offer the Ristoro del Priore, where you can taste traditional flavors and excellent quality wines, but also buy typical products such as hazelnut cakes, meliga pastes, gianduiotti, Barolo, and Grignolino, or even stop for a break at the basilica cafe, where you can be delighted by the famous “bicerin,” based on coffee, chocolate, and milk cream.
The monument (inaugurated in May 1902) to King Umberto I of Savoy, who was killed in an ambush by Gaetano Bresci in Monza in July 1900, stands in the square to the right of the basilica. Vittorio Emanuele III wanted to erect a statue in memory of his father and commissioned Tancredi Pozzi, a well-known Lombard sculptor, to design a granite column in the Corinthian style topped by a bronze capital. The eagle pierced by an arrow on top represents the sovereign’s death, while the Celtic warrior at the column’s base is Turin’s symbol.
The Basilica of Superga is also sadly famous for the plane crash in which it was the protagonist in 1949, when, on May 4, the plane carrying the Grande Torino players back home from Lisbon crashed into the building’s wall (deliberately not rebuilt and with the damage reported clearly visible). With that tragic episode, the entire team, companions, and crew of the plane vanished, leaving a deep void in the hearts of the Turin residents who attended the nearly million-person funeral.
To commemorate the accident, a plaque was erected at the back of the basilica, which has become a pilgrimage destination for tourists, fans, and faithful, who gather every year on May 4th, the anniversary of the episode, to participate in the liturgical function officiated in honor of Grande Torino.
How to get to the Basilica di Superga
To get to the basilica (Strada Basilica di Superga 73), take Line 15 from the central Piazza Castello to Sassi or Lines 61 and 68 from Piazza Vittorio to Sassi. After walking a short distance, you’ll arrive at the building’s square. For those arriving at Turin Caselle airport, take the Turin Caselle motorway junction (Caselle junction), the Northern Ring Road (Falchera junction), the SS11 junction (Abbadia di Stura junction), then turn left onto Strada della Cebrosa, Strada Settimo, Corso Casale, and finally right onto Strada Comunale di Superga. From here, you can take the panoramic hilly path to the Basilica.
