Church of Santa Chiara

The Church of Santa Chiara is situated in the historic centre of Turi (BA) and is one of the town’s most significant religious buildings. It was constructed between 1623 and 1631 thanks to the initiative of two local nobles, the brothers Vittore and Elia De Vittore, who also funded the adjoining monastery intended for the cloistered Poor Clare nuns.

The church features a rectangular plan with a barrel-vaulted ceiling with lunettes and side chapels delineated by pilasters. The interior showcases a sober yet elegant Baroque style, enriched with 18th-century stuccoes and decorations. The high altar is dominated by a large painting from 1771 depicting the death of Saint Clare, created by the painter Carlo Amalfi. Other notable artistic highlights include paintings attributed to Fedele Fischetti and marble sculptures by the Sanmartino brothers, renowned Neapolitan artists.

A distinctive feature of the church is the presence of the gelosie – gilded wooden grilles positioned high along the walls, through which the nuns could follow religious services while remaining hidden from the congregation, in accordance with the cloistered rule.

The monastic complex was suppressed in the 19th century, but the structure has been preserved and restored. Today, the former convent houses a municipal library and spaces dedicated to cultural and social activities, retaining the charm and historical value of the site.

The Church of Santa Chiara represents not only an important example of Baroque religious architecture but also a significant chapter in the spiritual and cultural history of Turi.