Santissimo Sudario all'Argentina

Santissimo Sudario all'Argentina is a church located on Via del Sudario featuring a main altar with a replica of the Turin Shroud and several ornate altarpieces. The interior displays a collection of religious artworks from different periods that visitors can view while the space remains active for Catholic worship.

The church was founded in 1605 by the Archconfraternity of Savoyards and Piedmontese and underwent significant restructuring by architect Carlo Rainaldi in 1678. These transformations shaped the interior as it appears today and reflect the space's evolution across more than three centuries.

The church serves as a spiritual home for the faithful from Piedmont and Sardinia, maintaining their regional identity and connections to Rome through its community. Visitors can sense these bonds in the way locals use the space for worship and in the decorative elements that reflect northern Italian traditions.

The church is freely accessible to visitors who wish to view the artworks or attend services at any time. It helps to check opening hours in advance and to be mindful that regular Mass times may affect when you can freely explore the interior.

During the Roman Republic period from 1798 to 1799, the building served as a storage magazine and armory rather than a place of worship. This unusual chapter reveals how even sacred spaces can be repurposed when politics shift the needs of the city.