Turin / Turin Cathedral & the Chapel of the Shroud
Churches
Turin Cathedral & the Chapel of the Shroud
A Renaissance cathedral holding one of Christianity's most debated relics, beneath a mathematically extraordinary Baroque dome.
- Price
- Free to enter the cathedral
- Hours
- Roughly 7am–12:30pm and 3–7pm
- Avg. visit
- 45 minutes to an hour
- Book ahead
- No, unless a rare Shroud exhibition is scheduled
Turin's Renaissance cathedral, completed in the late 15th century, holds the Shroud of Turin — a linen cloth bearing a faint, photographically negative image that some believe wrapped the body of Christ after crucifixion. Radiocarbon dating carried out in 1988 placed the cloth's origin in the medieval period, a finding that remains disputed by some researchers and has never fully settled the broader debate over the relic's authenticity.
Above the chapel that houses the Shroud, Guarino Guarini's Chapel of the Holy Shroud is considered one of the most mathematically sophisticated pieces of Baroque architecture anywhere — a soaring dome built from a complex geometric structure of interlocking arches. A devastating fire in 1997 severely damaged the chapel, and it reopened to the public only in 2018 after a painstaking, decades-long restoration.
Inside
What to see
- The Renaissance cathedral interior, more restrained than the chapel above it
- Guarini's Chapel of the Holy Shroud, with its extraordinary geometric dome, reopened in 2018 after restoration
- A replica of the Shroud, generally displayed in place of the original, which is almost never exhibited to the public
- The surrounding Piazza San Giovanni and the cathedral's freestanding bell tower
Practical
Good to know
- The Shroud itself is almost never on public display — genuine exhibitions are rare, announced years in advance, and a replica is shown at other times.
- Entry to the cathedral is free, in keeping with its status as an active place of worship.
- The Chapel of the Holy Shroud reopened in 2018 after a restoration lasting more than two decades following the 1997 fire.
Timing
When it's busiest
- Morning
- Quiet
- Midday
- Moderate
- Afternoon
- Moderate
- Evening
- Quiet
Nearby
Combine your visit
Right next door
Palazzo Reale & the Musei Reali
The former Savoy royal palace sits immediately adjacent to the cathedral.
Visit →
10-minute walk
Museo Egizio
Continue to one of the world's finest Egyptology collections.
Visit →
10-minute walk
Mole Antonelliana & Museo Nazionale del Cinema
See the city's iconic spire and its cinema museum.
Visit →
FAQ
Common questions
Can I see the actual Shroud?
Almost never — genuine public exhibitions are rare and announced years in advance. A replica is displayed at other times.
Is the cathedral free to enter?
Yes, entry to the main cathedral is free.
What happened in 1997?
A fire severely damaged the Chapel of the Holy Shroud; the chapel was closed for restoration and only reopened to the public in 2018.
Is the Shroud definitely a medieval forgery?
Radiocarbon dating from 1988 placed the cloth in the medieval period, though some researchers have disputed the methodology, and the debate over the Shroud's origin has never been fully settled.