June 19, 2020

Tower observatory of the Turin Cathedral

The Turin Cathedral (Duomo di Torino or Cattedrale di San Giovanni Battista) is a church in Turin built at the end of the 15th century. It hosted the Shroud of Turin from 1578, when it was moved from the Holy Chapel (Sainte Chapelle) in Chambéry, to 1649, when the Chapel of the Holy Shroud (Cappella della Sacra Sindone) next door was completed. It currently hosts it again since the fire of the chapel in 1997.

The cathedral has a bell tower (Torre campanaria), separate from the main body, which can be visited. It is quite high (63 m) and offers a great view on the city of Turin and the surrounding mountains. Tickets can be purchased at the entrance of the Diocesan Museum of Turin (Museo Diocesano di Torino), on the other side of the cathedral from the tower. After that, there is an underground passage to reach the tower then stairs to get to the top.

May 3, 2020

Sunset at Monte dei Cappuccini

The Church of Santa Maria al Monte dei Cappuccini is built on a hill overlooking the river Po in Turin. That hill has a great view on the city and is a popular place to watch the sunset.

April 29, 2020

Chiesa del Santo Volto

The Chiesa del Santo Volto (Church of the Holy Face) is a catholic church located in Turin, next to Parco Dora. It was built in 2006 based on designs by architect Mario Botta.

April 19, 2020

Dome Observatory of Basilica di Superga

Basilica di Superga is an 18th-century church located at the top of the Superga hill above Turin. Its Royal Crypt is the burial place of the Savoy family (although earlier members were buried at the Hautecombe Abbey near Chambéry). The Basilica also has a dome with an outside observatory that offers a great view on Turin and the Alps.

April 3, 2020

Église Saint-Joseph (Annemasse)

Église Saint-Joseph is a catholic church in Annemasse build in the 1940’s based on a design by architect Dom Paul Bellot, who also designed Basilique Saint-Joseph-des-Fins in Annecy.

December 27, 2019

Église de Notre-Dame de la Gorge

The Église de Notre-Dame de la Gorge is a catholic church in Les Contamines-Montjoie, located at the back of Val Montjoie on the path of the GR Tour du Mont Blanc trail. There has been a church on the site since the 11th century but the current building dates from the beginning of the 18th century.

September 30, 2019

Chapelle Anglaise de Chamonix

The Chapelle Anglaise de Chamonix (English Chapel) is a protestant church in Chamonix (just across the street from the train station). It was originally built in 1860 for the religious needs of the English tourists and alpinists, who were numerous in that era. Next to the church is a small cemetery with tombs of English alpinists who died in the mountains. These days, the chapel belongs to the parish of Arve Mont-Blanc in the Reformed Church of France and is officially called Église protestante de Chamonix (Chamonix protestant church).

September 9, 2019

Église Sainte-Geneviève des Bressis

The Église Sainte-Geneviève des Bressis is a catholic church located in the Cran-Gevrier neighbourhood of Annecy. It was designed in the modernist style by architect Paul Jacquet and was completed in the 1960’s.

August 24, 2019

Château des Ducs de Savoie & Old Town of Chambéry

Earlier this summer, I went on a guided tour of the Château des Ducs de Savoie (Castle of the Dukes of Savoie) in Chambéry. The construction of the castle was started in the 13th century to serve as the seat of the Counts (and later, Dukes) of Savoie but there has been many additions and demolitions over the years since. It now serves as the seat of the Préfecture of Savoie, so, apart from a small room near the entrance, the guided tour is the only way to visit the castle. The version of the tour I went on (called Château, Ruelles et Confidences) also included a visit of the old town of Chambéry.) nearby, which allowed access to some areas not normally open to the public. Some versions of the tour skip that part and visit the Tour Demi-Ronde (Half-Round Tower) in the castle instead.

July 26, 2019

Église Saint-Michel de Nantua

The Église Saint-Michel (aka Abbatiale Saint-Michel) is a church in Nantua which got its start as a monastery during medieval times and was improved over the centuries. Some of the older elements remain but most of the church dates back from the early 19th century.