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The architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini considered this small church near the Quirinal as his only perfect work (build from 1658 to 1678 with the assistance of de Rossi). He often came here sitting and looking at the polychrome marbles, the gilded stucoes and that marvelous oval dome with clerestory windows and a central glazed lantern cupola.
Bernini had refused any payment for his work on this church belonging to the Jesuits like the Gesù (ref. my tip).
The altar is on the short axis of the ellipse flanked by two pairs Corinthian columns in red marble. The painting above the altar represents the Martyrdom of the Apostle Andrew by Guillaume Courtois caled "Borgognone".
There are four chapels; St Stanislas Kostka is enshrined in the second chapel on the left.
The floor is beautiful made of Bardiglio marble with polychrome inserts.
The visit of Sant'Andrea al Quirinale was a real pleasure. I must say that I had the impression to be in a theatre instead of a church.
Open 8-12 and 16-19 h Address: Via del Quirinale 29
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This is another remarkable baroque church of Rome on an oval design, built by Francesco Borromini at only 200 m from St. Andrea al Quirinal also on an oval plan (by Bernini).
On a small building site next to the Quatro Fontane crossroad the architect Borromini started the building in 1638 on an oval plan but oriented longitudinally. The elliptic plan gives the illusion of a big space.
The dome is oval with caissons of various shapes, octagonal, hexagonal and cross-shaped. In the centre is the symbol of the Trinity, the emblem of the religious order of the Trinitari. The main purpose of the order founded in the 12th c. was the redemption of Christians captured and enslaved by Moslems. The church is dedicated to St. Charles Borromeo.
I visited this rather sober church, which is mostly white, after St. Andrea and I must say that I preferred the polychrome decor of Bernini's interior.
The baroque façade of San Carlo is amazing by the combination of convex and concave lines.
The architect never submitted a bill for his work. A room outside the sacristy was set aside for Borromini's tomb, but it remains empty as he committed suicide.
The frontage needs some cleaning. The traffic on the via del Quirinale has done no good to the frontage of the church a well to the four fountains on the corners of the street.
Open 9-13 (Monday - Saturday) and16-18 h [Monday Friday].
Sunday 12-13h (mass at 11h) Address: Via del Quirinale 23Directions: At the 4 Fontane corner.
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 Santa Agnese in Agone
Tower & Dome in
background by icunme,
2 more photos
The initial plan for Santa Agnese was designed by Girolamo Rainaldi helped by his son Carlo. Work started in 1652, but one year later Francesco Borromini replaced Rainaldi and modified almost entirely the design of the façade, which was expanded to include parts of the Pamphili palace, thus gaining space to erect the two bell towers. Borromini designed also the dome on a high drum.
In 1655 Pope Innocentius X died and soon Borromini lost the support of Prince Camillo Pamphili who recalled Carlo Rainaldi, who completed the façade by 1666. Although Rainaldi modified some aspects of the façade, of the towers and of the dome the overall impression is of consistency in style.
Santa Agnese represented the solution vainly pursued for St Peter's by Bernini and it became a model for having a balance between the dome and the façade of a church. Each of the bell towers has a clock: this occurs also in St Peter's and in SS. Trinità dei Monti. The clocks indicated two different times: the Italian time and the European time (Tempo Ultramontano): W. J. Goethe gave a detailed description of the two practices in his Italienische Reise - September 17, 1786.
Typically, the church has the dove of the Pope everywhere.
Reference text by permission Roberto Piperno for non-commercial purpose only Address: Piazza NavonaDirections: Rome Center
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It was late and I was rushing to arrive for the beginning of Mass the Sunday after Easter. Unsure of exactly the address, I got off the bus on Via September XX as I spotted the facade of a church right across the street. I entered just as a throng of people were being herded out - fleetingly wondering why so many people were there. I took a place and Mass began. During Mass I glanced over to a Chapel on my left and was shocked to see a magnificent sculpture - Bernini's Ecstasy of Sain Teresa (photo 1). I stood transfixed for long enough to be standing as everyone else was seated - it took 2 pages of my missle for me to catch up.
I thought I had found the Church of Santa Susanna and the American community - I was, in fact, a couple doors away and in the Church of Santa Maria della Victoria - this tip should have been entitled "wrong church - right pew." Also, I now knew why the Mass I had expected to hear in English was in Italian. After Mass I was privileged to move closer to the art works and appreciate a full view of this great masterpiece.
Photo 2 - Bernini's Ecstasy of St Teresa with the extremely controversial double interpretation of the angel/saint relationship. At the two sides Cornaro family members witness the event from balcony "stage boxes."
More Detail in the BERNINI TRAVELOGUE - ITALY page. Address: Via XX Settembre 17Directions: North of Termini and Piazza Republica
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 Permission R Piperno
noncommercial purpose
only by icunme,
2 more photos
The church was begun in 1591 and mostly completed by Carlo Maderno in 1608-1621 at the expense of Cardinal Alessandro Peretti-Montalto nephew of Sixtus V. It is named "della Valle" because it was built near Palazzo Valle. The fine façade by Carlo Rainaldi was added in 1665 at the expense of Cardinal Francesco Peretti, nephew of Cardinal Alessandro. This was during the pontificate of Alexander VII so that we have in the same church the influence of Sixtus V (Peretti) and the influence of Alexander VII. In the 1930s a fountain which previously was in S. Giacomo in Scossacavalli was moved to the square opposite S. Andrea della Valle.
Photo and reference text by permission Robert Piperno non-commercial purpose only
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 by belgianchocolate
We knew this relict was in the ' Santa Prassede ',
we we were quit curious about it.
On one side of the chuch in one of the niches
there is this little glass cabinet with a little
pilar in it. We stared a little bit to it and we both
were wondering the same thing. How can
a person be tied down tho this. There must be
some sort of mistake. No?
Well , how convenient. You just have to take a
look in the niche besides that. They made a
painting on how that was done.
1233 - that date? Jezus died in 33 after Jezus?
Right. But 1233 is the year this little pilar
came from Jeruzalem.
Just A few things kept me busy.
Who had been taking care of this pilar all the time?
It must heve been to heavy to carry it in a
backpack? The accuracy of the painting -
how did they know? And many many more
things that cross my mind.
Did anybody knew this pilar was of historic
significance back then?
Hey , I'm not sugesting it is a fake.
I just wanted to know more. Leave a Comment Address: Via Santa PrassedeDirections: Near piazza di San Maria Maggiore
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The Basilica di Santa Prassede, not a minute's walk from Santa Maria Maggiore, was pretty well top of my list of places to see in Rome. A mosaic-nut from way back, I'd read so much about the stunning work in this ancient church. Despite all I'd read and all the photos I had studied, the reality was beyond anything I had dreamed of. The church was beautiful, the nave a serene blend of frescoed walls and superb mosaic triumphal arch and apse, but there are other churches in Rome that are just as lovely, each in their own way. Santa Prassede's glory lies in the side chapel dedicated to Saint Zeno - walking into it was like walking into a glittering jewel-bedecked cave, its golden vaulted roof peopled with angels and saints all with grave Byzantine faces.
The 9th century mosaicists who created this wonder were absolute masters of their craft. By this time, the Byzantine technique of setting each tiny tesserae at a slightly different angle from the one next to it so that each one catches the light in a different way was at its height, creating a effect that in the flickering lamplight of the day must have been amazing. Even in the even electric light of today it is magnificent.
The chapel was built to contain the tomb of Theodora, Pope Paschal's mother. It was built during her lifetime. How do we know that? She is portrayed with a square halo - the symbol of someone still living. Pope Paschal wears a square halo too in his portrait in the apsidal mosaic where he and St Paul are depicted presenting St Prassede to Christ. On the other side of the apse, St Peter and St Zeno are doing the same for her sister, St Pudenza. The two women were the daughters of St Paul's first Roman convert and were honoured for giving Paul shelter.
These mosaics have moved far away from the realism of of late Roman work. They may appear to be cruder, more simplistic than those earlier works but in the Byzantine world they served a far more important purpose than mere pictorial representation of the real world. They were the bridge between heaven and earth to a people whose life and faith were inextricably intertwined. Standing beneath the golden vaults of St Zeno's little chapel we can take one small step into that world. Leave a Comment Address: Via Santa PrassedeDirections: Open 0700-1200 and 1600-1830
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 by belgianchocolate
Cecilia house was standing where now the
'Santa Cecilia in Trastevere' is located.
There are still remains under the church.
Cecilia had aristocratic blood in her vains ,
and she was a Christian. At that time
Christianity was still forbidden.
And the one thing they didn't want was an
aristocratic lady that became a Christian.
So - please read the next sentences well -
they tried to boil her to death , but that method
failed.
They cut of her head of , and that did work.
Her connection with music comes from her
wedding day. With her little organ she sang a
song for her futur husband - not chosen-
to have respect for her virginity , since she
was a Christian.
Hallaluja. Paolo Emilio Sfondrati - you'll meet
his story later , had the chuch restored in
1599. The chuch was probably erected in the
4th century after she was burried in the catacombs.
In the 9th century they moved het bones overhere.
The story goes that when cecilia's
grave was opened in this chuch , her body
was still intact and the statue is made after
her body. That faded to dust after 'Stefano
Moderno' , the artist , had seen it.
But that story was added later.
Ironic enough , we were there on Sunday morning ,
and the choir we heard during the mass
was the worst thing I've ever heard since a
long time. Leave a Comment Address: Piazza de Santa CeciliaDirections: Trastevere - not that far from the little island in the Tiber.
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 Breathtaking by TheWanderingCamel
When Cardinal Cornaro commissioned Giovanni Bernini to create a funerary chapel for his family in the church of Santa Maria delli Vittoria, neither he, nor the sculptor were in favour with the Vatican. Maybe that's what gave Bernini the freedom to move beyond the sculptural conventions of the time and let his genius find its fullest expression in a sculpture that still has the power to shock with its depiction of the sublime ecstasy felt by the mystic St Teresa of Avila as she experienced the piercing rapture of divine love.
The sculpture has been the subject of scholarly debate and controversy through the centuries. Standing before it, all that pales to insignificance in the contemplation of its beauty, the exquisite rendering of the folds of the saint's robes, the enigmatic tenderness of the angel's expression. Bernini's plan for the monument allowed for natural light from an unseen source to illuminate the scene. When the warm light of light afternoon illuminates the saint's face, catches the bronze sun rays behind her and tips the angel's spear with gold, his vision is fully realized. Leave a Comment Address: Chiesa di Santa Maria della VittoriaDirections: Via XX Settembre, , north-east from Piazza della Repubblica Open daily: 0830-1100 (1000 on Sunday)and 1530-1800
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 by belgianchocolate
Among the most beautifull and finest mosaics
can be found in the' Santa Prassede church.
Pope Pachalius I had the 'Capella di St. Zeno'
decorated in honor of his mother..
It was done by the best professionals at that
time : the Byzantium workmen.
It was done shortly after this church was build.
Through the centuries this church has been
redecorated manny times but these artworks
are still original.
In the apsis you can see the two ex-holy
ladies 'Prudenziana and Prassede'. I told
you the story , remember?
In the picture I show you one of the mosaics.
It is the tomb chapel of the family.
It was made in honour of the popes mother
'Theodora'. When this mosaic was made she
was still alive. You can tell by the square
aureole. She is the only woman in Rome
who was honored this way. Leave a Comment Address: Via Santa PrassedeDirections: Near Piazza de Santa Maria in Maggiore.
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