Amazing Rome

 

ST. MARY OF THE VICTORY

 

The church was built by Carlo Maderno, while the harmonious facade is a work by Soria. Inside the church the Cornaro Chapel, the most important chapel, houses one of the most famous Baroque works by Bernini,  The Ecstasy of St. Teresa, a true example of the blending of the three arts: painting, sculpture, and architecture. The light that comes down from a window above the masterpiece gives it a supernatural effect; the metal golden rays in the background create a scenic backdrop.

 

 

 

ST. CHARLES AT THE FOUR FOUNTAINS

 

The church is the first work created directly by the great Borromini. Saint Carlino (little Charles), so called by the people for its small proportions, is perhaps the most original work of the master. It’s amazing that the size of the small church is the same as a pillar of the dome of St. Peter's! The interior of the church, the cloister and the dome have a diminutive size but are graceful and harmonious. Soft and sinuous lines characterize the entire structure, which is well-decorated, rich and extremely bright.

 

 

 

ST. ANDREW’S AT THE QUIRINAL

 

The Church of St. Andrew’s at the Quirinal is the most important church designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and a masterpiece of Baroque architecture. The facade is enclosed by low curved quadrant walls that reflect conceptually the embrace of the colonnade designed by Bernini in St Peter's Square. Inside, a triumph of gold, stucco, and small chapels attract attention towards the apse, where the statue of St. Andrew is placed.

 

 

 

TREVI FOUNTAIN

 

Piazza di Trevi is largely occupied by the famous Trevi Fountain, one of the most appreciated fountains  in the world. The late Baroque fountain was designed by Nicola Salvi and is still supplied by the Virgin aqueduct,  a Roman aqueduct designed in 19 BC! The fountain was used in a memorable scene of La Dolce Vita, Federico Fellini’s famous film.

 

 

 

PIAZZA NAVONA

 

The unusual shape of the square is the shape of an ancient stadium: the stadium of Domitian, commissioned by the emperor Domitian and built for the Greek athletic competitions. The square was built in monumental style by Pope Innocent X and it houses some of the wonders of Baroque Rome, such as the Fountain of the Four Rivers by Bernini and the Church of St. Agnese in Agone by Borromini.

 

 

 

ST. MARY IN VALLICELLA & ORATORY OF ST. PHILIP NERI

 

The square of “Chiesa Nuova” is characterized by the presence of the Church of St. Mary in Vallicella and of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri. It’s the principal church of the Oratorians, a religious congregation of secular priests, founded by St. Philip Neri in the 16th century. The interior is decorated in Baroque style and houses altarpieces by Barocci, Pietro da Cortona's ceilings, and the Rubens slate and copper altarpiece. The Oratory, built by Borromini, is another famous work of Baroque architecture in Rome.

 

 

 

BORROMINI’S PERSPECTIVE (SPADA GALLERY)

 

The palace, built in 1540, was acquired in 1632 by Cardinal Bernardino Spada, who commissioned Borromini to modify it according to the new Baroque style. The facade impresses the visitor with its rich decorations in stucco, but the real surprise is kept inside where Borromini created the trompe-l'oeil masterpiece: a forced perspective optical illusion in the arcaded courtyard. The corridor is much shorter, and the sculpture much smaller, than they appear!