Cappella dei Mercanti

The cappella dei Mercanti, Negozianti e Banchieri ('chapel of merchants, shopkeepers, and bankers') is a Catholic chapel in the historic city center of Turin.

The chapel, whose construction was authorized during the 16th century, was built at the end of the 1600s and most of the artwork it contains originated in the 1600 and 1700s, in the baroque style.

The walls of the chapel present numerous seventeenth-century paintings, all inspired by the theme of the Biblical Magi. The altar dates back to 1797 and is the work of Michele Emanuele Buscaglione. On either side there are two reliquaries, while on the wall there are three paintings by the Jesuit painter Andrea Pozzo. The baroque frescoed ceiling by Legnanino depicts Heaven, prophets, sibyls and biblical episodes and dates to 1694-1695. The organ on the wall opposite the altar dates back to the eighteenth century.

Perpetual calendar

The sacristy contains several sacred objects, but above all the famous Perpetual Calendar by Giovanni Plana, one of the oldest calculator machines (it is equipped with rotating drums and a transmission system that allows the correct combination of the various information contained in the system) which allows precise calendrical calculation over a period of 4000 years starting from year zero (including the calculation of lunations, days of the week and Christian holidays).

References:

• Wikipedia

Address

Via Giuseppe Garibaldi 25, Turin, Italy

Details

Founded: 1692
Category: Religious sites in Italy