Gran Madre di Dio
Listen to the audio about this monument and put the sentences in order.
The Gran Madre di Dio Church is a neoclassical Catholic church in Turin, located by the River Po and connected to the city center via the Victor Emmanuel I Bridge.
Its architecture resembles the Roman Pantheon, and local legends link it to the Holy Grail.
- Built to celebrate King Victor Emmanuel I’s return after Napoleon’s defeat,
- its tympanum inscription honors this event.
- Designed by Ferdinando Bonsignore in 1818, the construction involved other architects and sculptors,
- including Bertel Thorvaldsen and Carlo Finelli. The church was inaugurated in 1831
- under Charles Albert of Sardinia.
- A grand staircase leads to the entrance,
- featuring statues of Belief and Religion.
- A legend claims the Holy Grail is hidden between them.
- The church also boasts notable sculptures,
- including bas-reliefs depicting the Life of the Virgin.