Santa Chiara, Baroque Catholic church in Turin, Italy

Santa Chiara is a small octagonal baroque church built into a corner between two narrow streets, via delle Orfane and via Santa Chiara. Bernardo Antonio Vittone raised it on four piers with arches and ribs, developing the whole structure vertically so that light from windows around the dome floods the interior. A large vault closes the space in a small cupola painted with the dove of the Holy Spirit, and the choir for contemplative prayer sits behind the church.

The church was rebuilt between 1742 and 1745 by architect Bernardo Antonio Vittone, replacing a gothic monastery from the 13th century. This transformation marks the shift from medieval to baroque architecture at the site.

The stucco medallions inside depict Charity, Spirituality and Light, symbols tied to Clare of Assisi, and the sobriety of the decoration follows the nuns' vow of poverty. The choir behind the church was the prayer space of a contemplative order. Since 2015 the complex has been lent to the Gruppo Abele association for a social cohousing project.

The church stands at the corner of via delle Orfane and via Santa Chiara, in Turin's historic centre, squeezed between two narrow public streets. The octagonal plan is small, built for a convent community rather than a parish, so a visit takes little time. Look for the 1930s fountain set into the rear exterior wall, restored after years of decay.

A 1930s fountain is set into the rear exterior wall, restored after years of neglect and used as a case study for a preventive conservation protocol and a digital maintenance-planning platform. Inside, the dome's windows open onto a gallery that rings the whole cupola, so light increases as you look upward.