About
This Baroque-style dome was designed to create "terror of the human soul" with its intricate geometry.
The Real Chiesa di San Lorenzo (Royal Church of Saint Lawrence) is a religious building located near the Royal Palace in Turin, commissioned by the ruling Savoy family to celebrate their victory during a 1557 battle that happened on the day of Saint Lawrence. Construction began in 1634 and was completed in 1680. The church was designed by Guarino Guarini, one of the greatest Baroque artists of the 17th century, transforming the previous building into a central-plan church surmounted by a large dome. The dome itself is Guarini’s masterpiece, starting from below with an octagonal base decorated with eight windows. Eight intersecting arches support the dome forming an eight-pointed star that resembles characteristics of mosques, with smaller windows adorning the areas between the arches. On top, the lantern is surrounded by an octagonal shape.
