The Eporedians wanted to erect the church and the convent  in honour to St Bernardino of Siena as a sign of gratefulness to the Saint who was able to assuage the quarrels between the citizens of adverse factions during his stay in the city.

The Saint, in fact, came to Ivrea around the year 1418, coming from Liguria; The Eporedians started following him and preserving a good memory of him.

The Church, with only one aisle, the seclusion, the dormitory, the infirmaries and the shops were built in 15 months thanks to the generous donations of the citizens of Ivrea.

The whole building  was entrusted to the Franciscans.The church was soon insufficient, due to the great participation of believers and two years later the Franciscans continued the works to modify and enlarge the building.

The aisle was prolonged,thus creating a two-floored body with two chapels on the ground floor , separated by a wall: The new church was inaugurated on the 9th April 1465.

On the dividing wall between the two chapels, Gian Martino Spanzotti created, between the year 1480 and 1490, the pictorial cycle known as “The life and passion of Christ”. The fortune of the convent lasted for about two centuries, and later, historical and religious events led to its downfall and several devastations.

It was requisitioned in 1704 to host the troops of general Vendome that besieged the city.In 1800, due to the suppression of religious orders by Napoleon , the convent was used for agricultural functions and ceded to private owners.

When in 1800, Camillo Olivetti purchased the whole area of the convent, the church was in a deplorable state of abandonment having been used as a barn. The side chapels had disappeared

for a long time and the supporting structure showed several fissures. The Olivetti familiy undertook the works for its restoration.

In 1949 The convent, (The church excluded) was ceded by the Olivetti family to the homonymous company. Meanwhile the area of the conventual complex was chosen as the place for the new factory canteen and a sports and recreational centre. In order to set the ancient buildings in the new, modern structure, it was decided to demolish the eastern wing of the convent in 1955.

In 1986 The convent underwent a further plan of building renovation, to include offices and the rooms of the company recreational group (GSRO).