Church of San Nicola da Tolentino

Although the church now presents a Baroque appearance, its origins date back well before the seventeenth century. In 1275, Friar Giacobino da Cremona arrived in Ivrea to live as a hermit, inspiring the construction of a chapel dedicated to the Holy Trinity near the site of the present church. In 1399, this chapel became the birthplace of Ivrea’s oldest confraternity, whose members, known as the “disciplinati” or “battuti” (“flagellants”), wore penitential robes and carried scourges as symbols of devotion. In 1470, shortly after his canonization, the confraternity placed itself under the patronage of Saint Nicholas of Tolentino. From 1640 onwards, it also devoted itself to assisting prisoners and those sentenced to death, while fostering the veneration of the Beheaded Saint John the Baptist.

Meanwhile, it was decided to replace the original chapel with a new church. The foundation stone was laid in 1605, marking the third centenary of the death of Saint Nicholas of Tolentino. Construction lasted seven years, while the choir was completed in 1627. Decorative work continued throughout the seventeenth century. The bell tower dates from the early eighteenth century, while the fine pipe organ was added in the nineteenth century.

The church’s restrained exterior contrasts with its richly decorated interior. The barrel-vaulted nave, divided into three bays, is lined with side chapels featuring polychrome marble altars and finely carved wooden choir galleries. Elaborate marble and stucco frames surround the frescoes depicting the life of Saint Nicholas, painted by Cesare Chiala between 1683 and 1694. The choir stalls, an outstanding example of wood craftsmanship by cabinetmaker Francesco Mabrito, are distinguished by dragon-shaped armrests and enriched with thirty-three carved panels illustrating episodes from the saint’s life.

Equally Baroque is the magnificent wooden altar structure. At its centre stands an angel holding, on a platter, the head of Saint John the Baptist. Flanking the figure are Saint William of Aquitaine and Saint Simplician, Bishop of Milan, while above them is a remarkable painting of the Virgin and Child attributed to Giuseppe Giovenone the Younger. The ensemble is crowned by a sculptural group depicting the Coronation of the Virgin, preserved from the earlier chapel.

One final curiosity: in Ivrea the building is also known as the “Church of the Bomb.” Until a few years ago, a replica of an unexploded bomb hung from the ceiling in memory of the miraculous event of 1704, when, during the French siege of the city, an artillery shell crashed through the roof but failed to detonate.