Chiesa di San Lorenzo

The Chiesa di San Lorenzo stands on Piazza Castello in Turin, Piedmont, Italy, next to the Palazzo Reale. It was built as the court church of the House of Savoy and replaced an older chapel. Duke Emanuele Filiberto vowed to build a church in honour of Saint Lawrence after the victory at the Battle of St Quentin on 10 August 1557, the saint's feast day, and the first church was begun after the capital moved to Turin in 1563. The present building was designed by Guarino Guarini, the Theatine priest and mathematician, and constructed between 1668 and 1687.

The plain brick facade conceals one of the most original interiors of the Baroque era. The plan is an octagon with a Greek cross, and the dome is formed by eight intersecting ribs that leave an eight-pointed star open at the centre, lit by windows in the lantern. The ribs spring from pendentives rather than a solid drum, and the effect is of a luminous, almost floating structure. The geometry reflects Guarini's studies of Islamic and Gothic vaulting, as well as Spanish and Roman precedent, and the church is regarded as a precursor to later Central European Baroque.

Inside, the high altar, the marble chapels and the coloured stone decoration create a rich counterpoint to the dome. The side chapels contain altarpieces and relics, and the sacristy has paintings from the Savoy court. The church sits within the dome-and-tower skyline of Piazza Castello, along with the Palazzo Reale and Palazzo Madama.

The church has been restored in stages, including cleaning of the stone and consolidation of the dome. It remains a working church, so visitors are expected to dress modestly and keep to quiet areas during services. Entry is free, and hours are set by the parish, so check local notices or turismotorino.org before visiting.