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Informazioni Turistiche -
Discovering Rome
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Discovering Rome
Baroque Rome ( 5/6 hours )
If there is a period in art that can be said to have left its nature indelibly impressed on the city of Rome, this is the Baroque. The concrete expression of the triumphant Church that managed to overcome the crisis caused by the Protestant Reformation, the Baroque is the style of theatricality, wonder and amazement par excellence that emotionally involves the viewer. During the 17th century palaces, fountains, squares and churches were created, totally invading the city and giving it a new face which, today still, sets it apart in the world.
Throughout this itinerary, two names are alternately repeated: those of the two great and undisputed protagonists of this season, Bernini and Borromini who, perhaps because of the rivalry that characterised their relationship, both proved to be authentic geniuses.
The itinerary begins with the church of Santa Maria della Vittoria, where it is possible to admire a true masterpiece, the amazing Ecstasy of St. Theresa carved by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Situated in the Cornaro Chapel, to the left of the transept, the work is conceived in a theatrical manner, respecting the words of St. Theresa of Avila who, to describe the moment when an angel pierced her heart, wrote that she had felt "inflamed by the love of God". The "staging" of the work is accentuated by the presence, in side balconies, of several members of the Cornaro family, who are the privileged spectators of an experience in which all the faithful are invited to participate.
In the 18th century the sculpture was particularly criticised for being too sensual, so much so that the Marquis de Sade found it hard to believe that Theresa was really a saint and De Brosses, a French man of letters, even stated, "If this is divine love, I know it well".
Next, the design for the church of San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane, on Via del Quirinale. is by Francesco Borromini. The strange, fanciful shapes of the architectural elements, as well as the continuous alternation of concave and convex lines in the decorative elements, were achieved thanks to the exclusive use of stucco, a particularly ductile material that was very suitable - more than marble - for the fantastic designs of the architect.
Borromini managed to create an absolute masterpiece, in spite of the extremely small dimensions of the church. It is said that the entire surface of the church is as large as a single supporting column of the dome of St. Peter's!
Continuing along the street, on the same side as San Carlino, there stands the church of Sant'Andrea al Quirinale, a masterpiece by Bernini.
Called the "pearl" of the Baroque because of the precious materials used in its construction, the church was the building to which Bernini felt closest. During the last years of his life, in the later afternoon, he would have himself taken to the church to admire the light that, filtered by the windows, was reflected on the marble walls and gold an stucco decorations.
Gian Lorenzo Bernini was also responsible for two works in the Palazzo del Quirinale: the benediction loggia and the circular tower, added as a defensive bulwark at the time of Pope Urban VIII.
Originally a 16th-century suburban residence, the palazzo del Quirinale fwas later chosen as the pope's summer residence thanks to the salubrity of the air and the closeness to the centre of the city.
After becoming the luxurious royal palace of the Savoia, today it is the seat of the Presidency of the Republic. The palace may be visited every Sunday morning, from 8.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m., while every Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m., in the square in front of it, the solemn Changing of the Guard takes place, accompanied by a band concert.
Across from it are the Papal Stables, recently restructured by architect Gae Aulenti to hold important art exhibitions. From the coffee shop, set up inside the exhibition space, one of the most spectacular views over the city can be enjoyed.
Descending from the Quirinal along Via della Dataria and going past Via del Corso, a visit to the church of Sant'Ignazio is worthwhile, even if it contains no works by either Bernini or Borromini. The huge ceiling, frescoed by Father Andrea Pozzo, who created an architecture which opens up into the sky where St. Ignatius is received and glorified, is in fact one of the last and astounding expressions of Baroque painting. An incredible illusion is created by the fake architectural structures that give the idea of a space that extends forever.
But even greater is the amazement before the fake dome. It is a trompe-l'oeil effect done in perspective in such a way as to be seen by the congregation arranged along the nave. In order to admire the dome, painted on canvas, you can stand on the porphyry disk in the centre of the nave. Instead, to grasp the visual illusion, it is necessary to move towards the transept! The mind and hands behind this masterpiece is Andrea Pozzo, a Jesuit priest, painter, architect and mathematician who also worked as a cook for his religious order.
Before continuing the visit, you should stop to admire the small but lovely little square in front of the church. When, in 1727, the architect Filippo Raguzzini designed the lively buildings, he was criticised for having created a square in the shape of a "canterano" (chest of drawers), a piece of furniture much in vogue at the time. In reality, the space today appears as one of the most successful rococo creations. The Via del Burr |
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