The church of Sant'Uberto, also called the chapel of Sant'Uberto, is part of the complex of the Reggia di Venaria Reale. It was built between 1716 and 1729 to a design by the Messina architect Filippo Juvarra, who received the commission from Vittorio Amedeo II of Savoy: the upper inner parts of the entrance portals in fact bear, carved in the marble, the initials «VA». It is considered one of the masterpieces of the Baroque.
What to see
The church has a central plan and a marble altar in Baroque style. In the upper part, at the level of the main floor, some balconies open: from there the members of the royal family attended the celebrations.
The sculptural decoration was made between 1724 and 1729 by Giovanni Baratta of Carrara: first the high altar, then the four gigantic Doctors of the Church, Saints Augustine, Ambrose, Athanasius and John Chrysostom, for which he was helped by his nephew Giovanni Antonio Cybei. The choir gallery is by the Lugano sculptor Carlo Giuseppe Plura.
Visiting
The church is an integral part of the visitor route of the Reggia, and for this reason religious services are rarely held in it: times and tickets are those of the Reggia and should be checked on its website. Partly restored for the Expo of 1961, it was brought back to its original appearance with the restoration of the complex, finished for the chapel in 2006.
Our editors' tip
Look closely at the dome: there isn't one. The church is wedged between the buildings, so much so that it was not possible to build one at the centre, and the dome is painted, a trompe-l'œil by Giovanni Antonio Galliari.
