The Basilica of Superga, considered a celebratory monument in honour of the Virgin Mary, was built by King Vittorio Amedeo II after defeating the French militia. The story tells of a vow made by the king during one of his reconnaissance trips to the hill during the French siege; he was aware of the considerable numerical inferiority of his militia compared to the French and promised to erect a monument in honour of the Virgin Mary if he would have been pardoned with a victory.
The project was entrusted to the famous Filippo Juvarra, who started work in 1716, first demolishing the old church and then lowering the top of the hill for technical reasons. Towards the end of 1730 the church was almost finished and in 1731 it was solemnly inaugurated in the presence of Carlo Emanuele III and opened for worship.
The mausoleum and the adjoining chapels to house the tombs of the Savoy dynasty were completed later, between 1773 and 1778 by Francesco Martinez and Amedeo Rana. The church has a central plan and is covered by a dome that is considered an avant-garde masterpiece, as it is composed of two caps, one external and one internal, divided by a large cavity.
The splendid Baroque chapel is preceded by a pronaos supported by eight classically inspired Corinthian columns, recalling the famous Pantheon in Rome. The interior decorations include sculptures by Bernardino Cametti, paintings by Sebastiano Ricci, Claudio Francesco Beaumont, Agostino Cornacchini and Giovan Battista Bernero. Inside there is also the Royal Crypt with the coffins of Vittorio Amedeo II, Carlo Emanuele III, Carlo Alberto and Vittorio Emanuele I, which can be visited today. At the back of the Basilica is the convent, whose cloister is connected to the famous Hall of the Popes, where the only collection of portraits on canvas of the popes in history, From St. Peter onwards, is kept.
Unfortunately, Superga is also linked to a tragedy that occurred in 1949, when a plane carrying the Torino team crashed into the Basilica's high wall. The plane was bringing the team home after a friendly match in Lisbon when it crashed, killing all occupants, 31 of them. The tragedy was deeply felt by the population, who attended the funerals in large numbers; about one million people attended.
Today, the basilica is a true symbol of the city and is easily accessible; the historical rack railway connecting Piazza Modena to the basilica, equipped with original cars from 1934, is impressive.
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