The twin churches of San Carlo (St Charles) and Santa Cristina (St Christine) were built under the wishes of Marie Christine of France, in 1639. They were built in the new Piazza Reale (Royal Square), (now called piazza San Carlo- St Charles Square), and were given by the queen to the discalced Augustinian friars and to the discalced Carmelite nuns respectively. In a rectangular plan and with one nave, Santa Cristina (St Christine) was embellished by the stone façade designed by Filippo Juvarra. It is now one of the main places of worship in the city. Drawing inspiration from Juvarra’s design for the ‘twin’ church, Ferdinando Caronesi designed the façade of the church dedicated to San Carlo Borromeo (St Charles Borromeo). Inside, on the sides of the high altar, there are two paintings depicting the saint, credited to Giovanni Paolo Recchi. In the chapel, made by Carlo Busso and Giovanni Battista Casella following a design by Amedeo di Castellamonte, can be admired the statue of the Madonna of Peace by Tomaso Carlone.
