| Denomination | Roman Catholic Church |
|---|---|
| Native name | Chiesa e Convento di San Domenico |
| Coordinates | 45.074172°N 7.68075°E |
| Country | Italy |
| Dedication | Saint Dominic |
| Style | Gothic |
| Archdiocese | Turin |
The Church and Convent of Saint Dominic (Italian: Chiesa e Convento di San Domenico) is a Roman Catholic church located in the city of Turin, Italy. Throughout its history it has served as a church, as inquisition tribunal, and as a masonic lodge.
History
The church was built during the first half of the 13th century by Dominican friars, in gothic style.[1][2] The adjacent convent was built in 1260 by Father John of Turin,[3] who also established a library within the complex, thus making Saint Dominic, at the time, one of the cultural centers of the city.[1][3] Shortly afterwards, towards the end of the 13th century, Saint Dominic became the seat of the Inquisition Tribunal of Turin,[1] sentencing approximately 80 heretics to capital punishment throughout its existence.[3] The façade of the building was erected in 1334, and the bell tower in 1451.[3][1] During the Black Death epidemic of Turin occurring in 1630, a steel grate was placed on the entrance of the church as to allow churchgoers to attend mass without entering the building itself.[1] During the Napoleonic period, most of the relics and precious materials in the church went missing, and the building became the seat of a Masonic lodge.[1] It is currently the only surviving gothic building in the city.[4]
References
- ^ "La Chiesa di San Domenico a Torino" (in it-IT). SeeTorino. 2014-06-26. Retrieved 2018-03-09.
- ^ "Chiesa di San Domenico - Archeocarta" (in it-IT). Archeocarta. 2014-10-28. Retrieved 2018-03-09.
- ^ "Cultor- Atlante di Torino - San Domenico". www.atlanteditorino.it. Retrieved 2018-03-09.
- ^ "Chiesa e convento di San Domenico - MuseoTorino". www.museotorino.it. Retrieved 2018-03-09.