10 Reasons to visit Torino - Part 9 - The Holy Shroud

Perhaps you don't know that one of the most worshipped objects among Catholics is found in Torino: the Holy Shroud, known in the English-speaking world as the "Shroud of Turin." It is a linen cloth on which you can see the imprint, both front and back, of a man showing the signs of Christ's passion and crucifixion as described in the Gospels.

The Shroud itself is not visible. It is kept in Turin Cathedral at the end of the left nave under the royal lodge, the balcony from which the royal family could attend Mass. However, a life-size copy of the Shroud is visible at the Royal Church of San Lorenzo in Piazza Castello. Here, you can not only visit this baroque jewel (which I will discuss in a future article) but also access the small sacristy where a copy of the Shroud is displayed, allowing us, as tour guides, to provide all the explanations necessary to understand and "read" it.

If you'd like to see the place where the Shroud was kept from the late 17th century until 1997, you need to enter the Royal Palace. Here, in addition to the state apartment, you'll also find the world-famous "Chapel of the Shroud," designed by architect Guarino Guarini and commissioned by the House of Savoy, the owners of the Shroud.

If these visits still haven't satiated your curiosity, you can complete your tour at the "Shroud Museum," where shroud-related objects and memorabilia are on display.

To understand the Shroud and its significance in the city's history, you can book my "Turin and the Shroud" tour, which will allow you to see the places associated with it and discover the presence of the Shroud in many hidden corners of Turin