Chiesa della Conversione di San Paolo

The church of the Conversion of Saint Paul in Asti is a late-eighteenth-century Oratorian church built on the site of a medieval parish near the former Porta San Paolo.

Why it matters

The church's history links a medieval parish with the Oratorians, followers of Saint Philip Neri, who established themselves in the district. Built between 1787 and 1794 and consecrated in 1795, it is one of Asti's later Baroque churches and preserves elements from the earlier building.

What to notice

The restrained brick façade has a pediment supported by four pilasters. The single-nave interior contrasts with the three-aisled medieval church it replaced. In the apse, Carlo Gorzio's late-eighteenth-century frescoes depict the conversion of Saint Paul. A sixteenth-century group of the crucified Christ with Mary and Saint John survives in a side chapel. The main altar and marble balustrades were transferred from Sant'Agostino.

Context and history

The medieval parish near Porta Sancti Pauli is documented from at least 1292 and appears in records of 1381. Augustinians administered the church from 1578. After a roof collapse and rebuilding, the Oratorians established themselves in nearby houses. The new church was constructed between 1787 and 1794, incorporating parts of its predecessor, and consecrated in 1795. The medieval apse later served as a sacristy.