Chiesa della Gran Madre di Dio (Church of the Great Mother of God)
But Turin inhabitants call it simply the "Granmadre" in a familiar way, it's set in a nice, lively area, full of amusing little shops, cafée, restaurants, ancient courtyard to discover
Legend has it that the Holy Grail lies buried beneath this neoclassical church. Whether there is any truth to the myth or not, we know for sure that the church was commissioned in the 1830's to celebrate the return of Vittorio Emanuele I after the Congress of Vienna. If the architecture of the church reminds you of the Pantheon, you might want to know that the royal architect Ferdinando Bonsignore was in fact inspired by the famous Roman temple-church. The two statues (of Faith and Religion) by Carlo Chelli of Carrara stand on both sides of the stairs leading to the entrance. This church has a somewhat exotic appeal, and it is also conveniently located near the river.