I hesitate before writing about this great building : it is in all the architecture books, revered and much visited - Borromini's masterpiece. The first time I was in Rome in the 1970s, completely ignorant about it, we were staying nearby and on the first night walked by, noticing crowds of tourists emerging from it. We popped in, but like many of them I suspect, had no idea about its importance. Such a building was not in my radar at that time. This Easter 2024 it was very much on our flightpath and we spent good time inside marvelling at the c0omplexity of the design. It is indeed small, and built on a cramped and difficult site.
It was Borromini's first independent commission - a church and monastery. His design included a small and ingenious cloister and a revolutionary oval church which is difficult both ro describe and photograph easily. The church was finished by 1641 except for the facade (1667}. In the church Borromini used an undulating wavy lower zone, with a zone above based on a Greek cross, and an oval dome above. In the past the dome would have rested on a plan of the sme shape. Here this was not so. Herein lies the complexity of the interior. The effect is to make the viewer's eyes wander around endlessly. I find this interior almost impossible to describe. I think it is probably the prime example of what I can feel in a great Baroque building - restless excitement. I can only recommend everyone to experience this great place for themselves.
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Church interior
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Looking up to the dome in the church
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| There is a crypt under the church |
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| Interior passage |
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| The cloister |
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