Bra Chiesa di Santa Chiara Esterno Facciata 1

Santa Chiara is a

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

church located on Via Barbacana, 49 in the town of Bra,

province of Cuneo The province of Cuneo (; ) is a province in the Piedmont region of Italy. To the west, it borders the French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur ( departments of Alpes-Maritimes, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Hautes-Alpes), to the north the ...

, region of

Piedmont Piedmont ( ; ; ) is one of the 20 regions of Italy, located in the northwest Italy, Northwest of the country. It borders the Liguria region to the south, the Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna regions to the east, and the Aosta Valley region to the ...

, northern

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

. The small domed church was designed by the late-

Baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...

architect

Bernardo Antonio Vittone Parish Church of Grignasco Bernardo Antonio Vittone (19 August 1704 – 19 October 1770) was an Italian architect and writer. He was one of the three most important Baroque architects active in the Piedmont region of Northern Italy; the other tw ...

History

A community of Clarissan nuns was assembled in Bra by 1632, and were attended by a nearby church until this structure was built. Begun in 1742, it was consecrated for services by August 1, 1748. Work continued on the church until 1786. By 1802, the monastery was suppressed, and the property, including the church, was not returned to the nuns until 1816. The monastery was confiscated again in 1883. In 1930, the church was granted to the Capuchin Fathers, but finally passed to the Municipality of Bra. Santa Chiara has a four-lobed central plan set on large pillars that support a complex dome, perforated by windows. The altars were completed in the 20th century. The main altar is overlooked by a large stucco medallion depicting the ''Glory of the Eucharist'' with revering angels and nuns. The lateral altars (1943) were decorated by Piero Dalle Ceste. The altar on the left depicts the Immaculate Conception with three Franciscan saints Fedele da Sigmaringa,

Veronica Giuliani Veronica Giuliani, OSC Cap. (also ''Veronica de Julianis''; 27 December 1660—9 July 1727)Ignatius of Santhià and Cardinal Guglielmo Massaja. The main altar also has a painting by Giovanni Claret, depicting the Madonna with Child and Saint Joseph, with Saint Anthony of Padua, San Bernardino of Siena and San Diego d'Alcantara.City and Cathedral, regional tourism office for Piedmont and Val d'Aosta

References

{{Coord, 44.7001, 7.8533, region:IT_type:landmark, format=dms, display=title Roman Catholic churches completed in 1786 18th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy Churches in the province of Cuneo Bernardo Antonio Vittone buildings Baroque architecture in Piedmont Church buildings with domes