Italy Guide
Piemonte and Valle d'Aosta
The Santuario della Consolata
Address: Via Maria Adelaide
Turin's most elaborate church, the royal Santuario della Consolata, was built to house an ancient statue of the Madonna, Maria Consolatrice, the protector of the city. Designed by Guarini, its Neoclassical facade is pink and white, while the interior has an impressive decorative altar by Juvarra. Don't miss the vast array of votive objects devout Torinesi have offered to the statue, housed in an ancient crypt below the church. Not to be missed either is the series of paintings in the church, featuring people being "saved" from such disasters as being gored by a bull, cutting overhead electricity cables with garden shears, exploding frying pans, and numerous accidents involving prams and trams. After all this, you may well want to head across the piazza to the beautiful old café, Al Bicerin for a pick-me-up. Historically, in nineteenth-century post-Unification Turin, it was the only café women could frequent without causing a scandal.