Chiesa di Sant'Andrea, Bra historical timeline

Last updated on October 14, 2026

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September 1672. The first stone was laid. The church was being built to a design by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, under the guidance of Guarino Guarini.

1687. Construction concluded — though the dome and the crowning of the facade were still lacking.

How it was paid for. It is a grandiose church for the place, and its realisation was made possible by many citizens who, as well as offerings in money, put days of work at its disposal.

Its first dedication. Originally the church was dedicated to the Corpus Domini.

14 November 1816. The medieval church of Sant'Andrea, on the upper part of the hill, was interdicted. In the same year this church became the seat of the parish of Sant'Andrea Apostolo.

1837–1845. The old church was progressively demolished. Its 18th-century bell tower and retro-sacristy survived and are visible in Via Fasola; two stylophore lions of medieval origin went to the Museo Civico; and a stone bas-relief was walled into the exterior of the new church on Via Barbacana.

1760. The Altar of San Sebastiano, co-patron of Bra, was executed by Giuseppe Antonio Barelli at the will of the Comune.

Around 1860. The sacristy was built; it holds Claret's Battle of Lepanto.

Verified against Wikipedia, October 2026.

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Checked against Wikipedia — The chiesa di Sant'Andrea is the parish church of Bra, in the province of Cuneo and the archdiocese of Turin, and the building, in Baroque style, was erected to a design by Gian Lorenzo Bernini under the guidance of Guarino Guarini., The first stone of the chiesa di Sant'Andrea at Bra was laid in September 1672 and construction concluded in 1687, although the dome and the crowning of the facade were missing; it is a grandiose church and its realisation was made possible thanks to many citizens who, besides offerings of money, put days of work at its disposal., The church at Bra was originally dedicated to the Corpus Domini and became the seat of the parish of Sant'Andrea Apostolo only in 1816, the transfer taking place because the medieval chiesa di Sant'Andrea, which stood on the upper part of the hill, was interdicted on 14 November 1816 and progressively demolished between 1837 and 1845., Of the demolished medieval church of Sant'Andrea at Bra there survive the 18th-century bell tower and the retro-sacristy, visible in Via Fasola, and there also escaped destruction some elements of medieval origin: two stylophore lions, now conserved in the local Museo Civico, and a stone bas-relief bearing a vegetal ornamental motif, now walled onto the external wall of the present church facing Via Barbacana; the parish priest takes the denomination of Prior., The chiesa di Sant'Andrea at Bra has a plan of three naves and deep chapels with a restless Baroque facade, and inside is the very notable altar of San Sebastiano, co-patron of Bra, willed by the Comune and executed in 1760 by Giuseppe Antonio Barelli; on that altar stands a great oval with the Martyrdom of Sant'Andrea by Claudio Francesco Beaumont, painter of the Savoy Court, which is the most beautiful piece of 18th-century painting present in the city., In the chapel of the altar of San Sebastiano in the chiesa di Sant'Andrea at Bra there are two canvases representing San Rocco and Santa Vittoria by Pietro Paolo Operti; on the opposite side a great oval by Pietro Morgari, and on the altar of the Madonna del Rosario a picture by Giovanni Claret representing the Virgin with Child; in the sacristy, built around 1860, is conserved a great canvas representing the Battle of Lepanto, also the work of Claret, and other works present are the Martyrdom of san Sebastiano by Claudio Francesco Beaumont and minor ones by Roasio di Mondovi and Davide Caland. (October 2026).

Chiesa di Sant'Andrea, Bra historical timeline

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