Collegiate Church of Santa Maria della Scala

The Collegiate Church of Santa Maria della Scala is the city's main religious building and one of the most elegant examples of Lombard Gothic architecture in Piedmont. Its origins date back to 1230, but the current structure was completed in 1330, with subsequent transformations over the centuries. The façade, flanked by a bell tower that was once a civic tower, is distinguished by a 17^th-century portal and a 19^th-century rose window. The three-nave interior houses treasures of art and popular devotion. The most valuable works include the wooden choir by Giuseppe Antonio Riva, carved in 1749, and a rare Lamentation over the Dead Christ made of polychrome sandstone, a sculpture that captures the pain and humanity of the sacred moment. The side aisle houses the urn containing the relics of Blessed Bernard of Baden, a German nobleman and patron saint of the town, who died in Moncalieri while on a charitable mission during the plague of 1458. Tradition has it that the first miracle took place during his funeral. The church has always been a spiritual and social reference point for the local community and continues to be a lively centre for religious celebrations, tourism and cultural activities. Its link with the history of the House of Savoy is confirmed by its proximity to the royal castle and the numerous official events celebrated here.