Chiesa di Sant'Uberto

The palatine church of Sant’Uberto forms the end point of the central hall’s axis at the Palazzina di Caccia di Stupinigi. Built in the eighteenth century, the chapel is dedicated to the patron saint of hunters and contains an altarpiece by Vittorio Amedeo Rapous.

Why it matters

The church is an integral part of the Savoy hunting lodge, whose design placed the chapel at the far end of the ceremonial axis. Dedicated to Sant’Uberto, bishop of Liège and patron of hunters, it reflects the building’s original association with the court and the chase. The Palazzina di Caccia di Stupinigi forms part of the Residences of the Royal House of Savoy, inscribed by UNESCO in 1997.

What to notice

The chapel’s position aligns it with the central hall. Its high altar holds Vittorio Amedeo Rapous’s Visione di Sant’Uberto, an oil painting dated 1768 and listed in the national catalogue. The comparatively restrained chapel contrasts with the more elaborate spaces elsewhere in the lodge.

Context and history

The permanent chapel was added after the main hunting lodge had been built. Art-historical sources attribute its design to Ignazio Birago di Borgaro and date its construction to 1767, during the reign of Carlo Emanuele III. Rapous completed the altarpiece the following year. The chapel served the court during its stays at Stupinigi; the separate parish church of the surrounding village served the local community.