MUSEO DIOCESANO E SALITA AL CAMPANILE DEL DUOMO

The Diocesan Museum of Turin, dedicated to sacred art, is located in the lower church of the Cathedral of St John the Baptist. Exactly the same size and layout as the cathedral, it was originally intended to house the tombs of the Savoy family and the city's archbishops. Archaeological excavations carried out in recent years and now visible in the museum have brought to light the remains of three early Christian churches that occupied the area, demolished for the construction of the current cathedral. For this reason, the layout of the Turin Diocesan Museum was designed to enhance and preserve the historical value of the rooms in which it is housed. This has entailed respecting the pre-existing architectural and archaeological evidence.The exhibition of works is organised by thematic areas, dedicating the first spaces to the evolution of the liturgy for Christian initiation (baptism and Eucharist), to continue in an area focusing on Marian devotion. The central space is reserved for the evolution of the liturgy of the Word, with interesting comparisons between pre- and post-Catholic reform altars. The itinerary is completed by the picture gallery, which houses notable works of art arranged by type, era and materials, and the archaeological area, which exemplifies the articulated historical stratification of the city. In the area dedicated to baptism, there is the cathedral's first baptismal font (late 15th century), made of stone, and a tempera on panel by Martino Spanzotti, the Baptism of Jesus Christ (1509 - 1510). The Marian section houses a peculiar female statue made of Greek marble, presumably reused and of uncertain date, but supposedly part of a Lamentation. In the area dedicated to Renaissance art and the pre-Tridentine liturgy, along with volumes and stone decorations, Leon Battista Alberti's treatise on architecture can be seen.The museum organises thematic routes, guided tours and educational activities.