My Superga Obsession
Watching the watcher
Up close, the Basilica of Superga looks like a normal, run-of-the-mill, Italian church. It sits on one of the highest hills just outside the city of Torino (Turin, in English — home of the famous Shroud).
The church was built from 1717 to 1731 for Victor Amadeus II of Savoy — the head of the House of Savoy which ruled the northwestern part of what is now Italy. After the unification of Italy, in 1861, the King of Italy — Victor Emanuel II (a direct descendent of Victor Amadeus II) — lived in the Royal Palace in Torino. In fact, Torino was the capital of Italy even after WWII, when the reigning king, Umberto II, and the entire Savoy family were exiled for allowing Mussolini to become the country’s dictator in 1922.
The Savoys had to leave Italy with only the things they could carry — which was a much better fate than befell Mussolini.
Under the basilica is the Royal Crypt of Superga — the burial place of the Savoy family — although once exiled, the family had to make other burial plans.
History aside, there is, for me, an interesting aspect of the basilica: one can see it from many points all over the city. I happen to live at the edge of the city, along the Po River, which provides especially direct views of Superga.
