How large is the Shroud of Turin and where is it normally kept?
The Shroud is a 14½ foot long, 3½ foot wide linen cloth that bears the ventral and dorsal image of a scourged, crucified man. Owned by the Dukes of Savoy (former ruling family of Italy) until the late 1980’s and now the property of the Catholic Church, it has been permanently kept in Turin, Italy, since 1578. It is stored in a special reliquary in a chapel behind the altar in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. The cathedral was erected specifically to house the Shroud and was built adjoining the Royal Palace (the King’s former residence) in Turin. See the article titled “The Shroud Chapel is 300 Years Old” on the “Collegamento pro Sindone” page of this website for more information and a photograph of the Chapel interior and the “Shroud Exhibitions” page for an exterior photograph of the Cathedral itself.
