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Sant'Agnese in Agone

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342: 694: 706: 793: 763: 748: 733: 718: 778: 46: 813: 987: 431: 365:, a street set one urban block away from the piazza, to the Piazza Navona, a large urban space that Innocent was transforming into a showcase associated with his family. It had been the intention to build the new church over the old church which would become the crypt; this meant the new church was to be raised well above piazza level, but this idea was abandoned once construction started. The original drawings are lost but it is thought that the Piazza Navona façade design included a 1006: 825: 423: 666:, an official commission was established to study defects that had arisen in the foundations of the belltowers (built under Bernini's guidance) in the façade of Saint Peter's Basilica. In testimony before the commission, Borromini was one of many harsh critics that assailed the project's engineering. Ultimately, in a severe blow to Bernini's prestige as an architect, the façade bell-towers were torn down, and never rebuilt. 1017: 381:
drawings show that on the façade to Piazza Navona, he designed curved steps descending to the piazza, the convex curvature of which play against the concave curvature of the façade to form an oval landing in front of the main entrance. His façade was to have eight columns and a broken pediment over the entrance. He designed the
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Borromini had to work with the Rainaldi ground plan but made adjustments; on the interior for instance, he positioned columns towards the edges of the dome piers which had the effect of creating a broad base to the dome pendentives instead of the pointed base which was the usual Roman solution. His
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Harsh criticism was made of the design, including the steps down to the piazza which were thought to project excessively, so Carlo Rainaldi eliminated the narthex idea and substituted a concave façade so that the steps would not be so intrusive. The idea of the twin towers framing a central dome may
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is situated in front of the church. It is often said that Bernini sculpted the figure of the "Nile" covering his eyes as if he thought the façade designed by his rival Borromini could crumble atop him. This story, like many urban legends, persists because it has a ring of authenticity, despite the
357:, is adjacent to this church. The church was to be effectively a family chapel annexed to their residence (for example, an opening was formed in the drum of the dome so the family could participate in the religious services from their palace). 360:
The first designs for a centralised Greek Cross church were prepared by the Pamphili family architect, Girolamo Rainaldi, and his son Carlo Rainaldi in 1652. They reorientated the main entrance to the church from the Via
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Carlo Rainaldi was reappointed and made a number of modifications to Borromini's design including an additional storey to the flanking towers and simplifying their uppermost parts. On the death of
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for the interior of the dome. Further decorations were added; there were large scale sculptures and polychrome marble effects. None of these are likely to have been intended by Borromini.
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In 1668, Camillo Borghese (Olimpia's son & Camillo Pomphii's step-son) took over responsibility for the church. He reinstated Carlo Rainaldi as architect and engaged
444: 530: 403:, commissioned Bernini to take over. He was responsible for the straightforward pediment above the main entrance and for the emphatic entablature in the interior. 453: 333:. As well as religious services, the church hosts regular classical concerts in the Borromini Sacristy, from sacred Baroque works to chamber music and operas. 601:
which might well be Le Gros' very last works. The statues of Saint Agnes and of Saint Sebastian are placed in an illusionistic architecture of colored marble.
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is on the first altar on the left. Due to Cafà's sudden early death large parts of the relief were completed by his master, Ferrata, and his workshop.
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masterpieces, dedicated to individual martyred saints. There are four altars in the pillars with reliefs, unusually set in semi-circular
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is in the second altar of the transept on the right is the *On the second altar of the transept on the left is the
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as single storey, above which there was to be a complex arrangement of columns and convex bays with balustrades.
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View into frescoed cupola and pendentives; apse on left, entrance with organ and tomb of Pope Innocent X on right
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The near-circular interior, actually a Greek cross design, is circumferentially surrounded by marble sculptural
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By the time of Innocent's death in 1655, the façade had reached the top of the lower order. Innocent's nephew,
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Borromini and Bernini became rivals, and more, for architectural commissions. Most prominently, during the
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Inside the church is also a shrine for Saint Agnes, containing her skull and a marble relief by
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For the building history of the church and extensive documentation, see Gerhard Eimer,
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with angels presenting the symbols of the respective saint are by Ferrata's workshop.
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As, for example, the Corsia Agonale, a short road that connects the piazza with the
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ensemble was dropped, and instead Guidi created a marble relief, depicting
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The name of this church is unrelated to the ‘agony’ of the martyr:
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The building of the church was begun in 1652 at the instigation of
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fact that Bernini's fountain predates the façade by some years.
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between two towers and broad stairs descending to the piazza.
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The Doria-Pamphili family owns the church to this day.
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be indebted to Bernini's bell towers on the façade of
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17th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy
485:. Among the sculptural decoration are the following: 466:. In the sacristy, there is a painting depicting the 456:. The pendentives of the dome were painted with the 597:, and also boasts two marble angels by his master 496:– The main altar initially was intended to hold a 306:. Construction began in 1652 under the architects 533:is the relief above the first altar on the right. 1288: 1119:(project and direction, 1653–1667; continued by 929: 512:and Guidi. For some reason the project for the 1043: 998:High-resolution 360° Panoramas and Images of 629: 27:Church of Saint Agnes at the Circus Agonalis 1050: 1036: 985: 44: 1297:Roman Catholic churches completed in 1657 1172:(worked in the 1650s; co-autorship with 452:and finished after his death in 1689 by 429: 421: 340: 1235:(Filomarino Family Chapel design, 1646) 1057: 638:was the ancient name of Piazza Navona ( 1289: 1166:(remodelling, 1646, façade and loggia) 952:, Reading (Si Vede) 1997, pp. 121–122. 614:The stucco decorations in the niches' 546:, with the upper portion completed by 1031: 100:Via di Santa Maria dell'Anima 30/A,, 675:Lorenzo Cardinal Antonetti 1998–2013 550:is on the second altar on the right. 669: 576:is on the second altar on the left. 13: 1205:Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran 1093:Santa Maria dei Sette Dolori, Rome 920:, Harvard University Press, p. 157 862:La Fabbrica di S. Agnese in Navona 769:The Martyrdom of Saint Emerentiana 462:(1662–1672) by Bernini's protégé, 14: 1348: 972: 1322:Churches of Rome (rione Parione) 1015: 1004: 1000:Sant'Agnese in Agone | Art Atlas 886:, Stockholm, 1986, vol. 2, p. 56 823: 811: 791: 776: 761: 746: 731: 716: 704: 692: 605:Tomb Monument of Pope Innocent X 593:(c. 1717–1719) with a statue by 442:The cupola is frescoed with the 57:Click on the map to see marker. 1186:(1644–1667; co-autorship with 1154:(expansion commissioned, 1628) 1081:San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane 955: 942: 923: 907: 904:Magnuson, 1986, vol. 2, p. 61. 898: 889: 876: 867: 854: 754:The Martyrdom of Saint Eustace 679:Gerhard Ludwig Cardinal Müller 434:Main altar with the relief of 50:Sant'Agnese from Piazza Navona 38:Chiesa di Sant'Agnese in Agone 1: 1337:Francesco Borromini buildings 1239:Santa Maria alla Porta, Milan 1213:(possible collaboration with 895:Magnuson, 1986, vol. 2, p. 60 847: 508:) was made by his assistants 1317:1657 establishments in Italy 1307:Baroque architecture in Rome 1207:(renovation of the interior) 1012:travel guide from Wikivoyage 711:Cupola with Frescos by Ferri 302:was martyred in the ancient 281:Sant'Agnese in Piazza Navona 32:Sant'Agnese in Piazza Navona 7: 1327:Church buildings with domes 1227:San Giovanni dei Fiorentini 835: 818:Tomb of Innocent X by Maini 699:View towards the main altar 655:Fountain of the Four Rivers 417: 291:, Italy. It faces onto the 10: 1353: 1184:Palazzo di Propaganda Fide 884:Rome in the Age of Bernini 739:The Death of Saint Cecilia 724:The Death of Saint Alexius 685: 630:Origin of name and legends 336: 1248: 1197: 1190:, involved in 1620s–1644) 1170:Palazzo Giustiniani, Rome 1130: 1065: 445:Apotheosis of Saint Agnes 353:whose family palace, the 262: 257: 249: 237: 213: 208: 198: 186: 178: 168: 163: 149: 137: 125: 117: 107: 96: 62: 55: 43: 36: 31: 26: 21: 1117:Sant'Andrea delle Fratte 1101:(involvement, 1653–1657) 1010:Sant'Agnese in Agone 950:Pierre Le Gros 1666–1719 937:. Yale University Press. 531:Giovanni Francesco Rossi 520:according to his design. 464:Giovanni Battista Gaulli 37: 784:Saint Agnes on the Pyre 609:Giovanni Battista Maini 1312:Burial places of popes 1233:Santi Apostoli, Naples 1111:Sant'Ivo alla Sapienza 1087:Oratorio dei Filippini 993:"Sant'Agnese in Agone" 506:Oratorio dei Filippini 498:Miracle of Saint Agnes 439: 427: 375:Saint Peter's Basilica 363:Santa Maria dell’Anima 346: 1241:(portal and tympanum) 1211:St. Peter's Baldachin 830:Shrine of Saint Agnes 490:The Two Holy Families 454:Sebastiano Corbellini 433: 425: 344: 327:Gerhard Ludwig Müller 16:Church in Rome, Italy 1267:Gian Lorenzo Bernini 1256:Baroque architecture 1221:St. Peter's Basilica 1215:Gian Lorenzo Bernini 1188:Gian Lorenzo Bernini 1146:Gian Lorenzo Bernini 1105:San Giovanni in Oleo 1099:Sant'Agnese in Agone 1075:Santa Lucia in Selci 1024:at Wikimedia Commons 1022:Sant'Agnese in Agone 468:Glory of Saint Agnes 426:Skull of Saint Agnes 401:Olimpia Aldobrandini 283:) is a 17th-century 277:Sant'Agnese in Agone 81:41.89877°N 12.4726°E 22:Sant'Agnese in Agone 1160:(remodelling, 1632) 1140:(co-autorship with 1107:(remodelling, 1658) 1068:religious buildings 1059:Francesco Borromini 580:Saint Agnes on the 448:, begun in 1670 by 316:Francesco Borromini 304:Stadium of Domitian 77: /  1164:Palazzo Falconieri 935:Alessandro Algardi 624:Alessandro Algardi 502:Alessandro Algardi 500:commissioned from 440: 428: 347: 329:being the current 182:early 12th century 1284: 1283: 1138:Palazzo Barberini 1131:Secular buildings 1020:Media related to 948:Gerhard Bissell, 539:Saint Emerentiana 438:by Domenico Guidi 308:Girolamo Rainaldi 274: 273: 220:Girolamo Rainaldi 155:santagneseinagone 86:41.89877; 12.4726 1344: 1302:Titular churches 1178:Domenico Fontana 1174:Giovanni Fontana 1152:Villa Falconieri 1052: 1045: 1038: 1029: 1028: 1019: 1008: 989: 984: 983: 981:Official website 966: 959: 953: 946: 940: 938: 931:Jennifer Montagu 927: 921: 911: 905: 902: 896: 893: 887: 880: 874: 871: 865: 864:, Stockholm 1970 858: 842:Palazzo Pamphilj 827: 815: 795: 780: 765: 750: 735: 720: 708: 696: 670:Cardinal-Deacons 595:Pier Paolo Campi 459:Cardinal Virtues 397:Camillo Pamphili 390:Camillo Pamphili 355:Palazzo Pamphili 323:titular deaconry 321:The church is a 159: 156: 92: 91: 89: 88: 87: 82: 78: 75: 74: 73: 70: 48: 19: 18: 1352: 1351: 1347: 1346: 1345: 1343: 1342: 1341: 1287: 1286: 1285: 1280: 1244: 1229:(choir project) 1193: 1126: 1121:Mattia de Rossi 1067: 1061: 1056: 979: 978: 975: 970: 969: 960: 956: 947: 943: 928: 924: 912: 908: 903: 899: 894: 890: 881: 877: 872: 868: 859: 855: 850: 838: 831: 828: 819: 816: 807: 800:Saint Sebastian 796: 787: 781: 772: 766: 757: 751: 742: 736: 727: 721: 712: 709: 700: 697: 688: 672: 664:Pamphili papacy 640:piazza in agone 632: 591:Saint Sebastian 561:Melchiorre Cafà 518:The Holy Family 436:The Holy Family 420: 383:flanking towers 351:Pope Innocent X 339: 331:Cardinal-Deacon 297:Early Christian 204:28 January 1123 153: 85: 83: 79: 76: 71: 68: 66: 64: 63: 58: 51: 39: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1350: 1340: 1339: 1334: 1329: 1324: 1319: 1314: 1309: 1304: 1299: 1282: 1281: 1279: 1278: 1270: 1269:(collaborator) 1264: 1263:(collaborator) 1258: 1252: 1250: 1246: 1245: 1243: 1242: 1236: 1230: 1224: 1218: 1208: 1201: 1199: 1195: 1194: 1192: 1191: 1181: 1167: 1161: 1155: 1149: 1134: 1132: 1128: 1127: 1125: 1124: 1114: 1108: 1102: 1096: 1090: 1084: 1078: 1071: 1069: 1063: 1062: 1055: 1054: 1047: 1040: 1032: 1026: 1025: 1013: 1002: 996: 990: 974: 973:External links 971: 968: 967: 963:Palazzo Madama 954: 941: 939:, cat. no. 45. 922: 906: 897: 888: 875: 866: 852: 851: 849: 846: 845: 844: 837: 834: 833: 832: 829: 822: 820: 817: 810: 808: 797: 790: 788: 782: 775: 773: 767: 760: 758: 752: 745: 743: 737: 730: 728: 722: 715: 713: 710: 703: 701: 698: 691: 687: 684: 683: 682: 676: 671: 668: 631: 628: 620: 619: 612: 602: 599:Pierre Le Gros 587:Ercole Ferrata 577: 564: 551: 544:Ercole Ferrata 534: 521: 510:Ercole Ferrata 494:Domenico Guidi 472:Paolo Gismondi 419: 416: 338: 335: 312:Carlo Rainaldi 272: 271: 266: 260: 259: 258:Administration 255: 254: 251: 247: 246: 241: 235: 234: 224:Carlo Rainaldi 217: 211: 210: 206: 205: 202: 196: 195: 190: 184: 183: 180: 176: 175: 173:titular church 170: 166: 165: 161: 160: 151: 147: 146: 141: 135: 134: 129: 123: 122: 119: 115: 114: 109: 105: 104: 98: 94: 93: 60: 59: 56: 53: 52: 49: 41: 40: 34: 33: 29: 28: 24: 23: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1349: 1338: 1335: 1333: 1330: 1328: 1325: 1323: 1320: 1318: 1315: 1313: 1310: 1308: 1305: 1303: 1300: 1298: 1295: 1294: 1292: 1276: 1275: 1271: 1268: 1265: 1262: 1261:Carlo Maderno 1259: 1257: 1254: 1253: 1251: 1247: 1240: 1237: 1234: 1231: 1228: 1225: 1222: 1219: 1216: 1212: 1209: 1206: 1203: 1202: 1200: 1196: 1189: 1185: 1182: 1179: 1175: 1171: 1168: 1165: 1162: 1159: 1158:Palazzo Spada 1156: 1153: 1150: 1147: 1143: 1142:Carlo Maderna 1139: 1136: 1135: 1133: 1129: 1122: 1118: 1115: 1112: 1109: 1106: 1103: 1100: 1097: 1094: 1091: 1088: 1085: 1082: 1079: 1076: 1073: 1072: 1070: 1064: 1060: 1053: 1048: 1046: 1041: 1039: 1034: 1033: 1030: 1023: 1018: 1014: 1011: 1007: 1003: 1001: 997: 994: 991: 988: 982: 977: 976: 964: 958: 951: 945: 936: 932: 926: 919: 915: 914:Anthony Blunt 910: 901: 892: 885: 882:T. Magnuson. 879: 870: 863: 857: 853: 843: 840: 839: 826: 821: 814: 809: 805: 802:by Campi and 801: 794: 789: 785: 779: 774: 770: 764: 759: 755: 749: 744: 740: 734: 729: 725: 719: 714: 707: 702: 695: 690: 689: 680: 677: 674: 673: 667: 665: 660: 657: 656: 651: 647: 645: 641: 637: 627: 625: 617: 613: 610: 606: 603: 600: 596: 592: 588: 584: 583: 578: 575: 574:Antonio Raggi 571: 570: 569:Saint Cecilia 565: 562: 558: 557: 556:Saint Eustace 554:Martyrdom of 552: 549: 548:Leonardo Reti 545: 541: 540: 537:Martyrdom of 535: 532: 528: 527: 526:Saint Alexius 522: 519: 515: 511: 507: 503: 499: 495: 491: 488: 487: 486: 484: 480: 475: 473: 469: 465: 461: 460: 455: 451: 447: 446: 437: 432: 424: 415: 413: 409: 404: 402: 398: 393: 391: 386: 384: 378: 376: 370: 368: 364: 358: 356: 352: 343: 334: 332: 328: 324: 319: 317: 313: 309: 305: 301: 298: 294: 293:Piazza Navona 290: 286: 282: 279:(also called 278: 270: 267: 265: 261: 256: 252: 248: 245: 242: 240: 236: 233: 229: 225: 221: 218: 216: 212: 207: 203: 201: 197: 194: 193:Agnes of Rome 191: 189: 185: 181: 177: 174: 171: 167: 162: 158: 152: 148: 145: 142: 140: 136: 133: 130: 128: 124: 120: 116: 113: 110: 106: 103: 99: 95: 90: 61: 54: 47: 42: 35: 30: 25: 20: 1272: 1148:, 1627–1633) 1098: 1066:Churches and 995:, by Nyborg. 957: 949: 944: 934: 925: 917: 909: 900: 891: 883: 878: 869: 861: 856: 803: 799: 783: 768: 753: 738: 723: 681:2014–present 661: 653: 648: 643: 639: 635: 633: 621: 604: 590: 579: 566: 553: 536: 523: 517: 513: 497: 489: 476: 467: 457: 443: 441: 435: 405: 394: 387: 379: 371: 359: 348: 320: 310:and his son 280: 276: 275: 215:Architect(s) 209:Architecture 127:Denomination 1277:(2015 film) 1274:La Sapienza 1198:Other works 1113:(1642–1660) 1095:(1643–1655) 1089:(1637–1651) 399:, his wife 300:Saint Agnes 200:Consecrated 118:Language(s) 84: / 1291:Categories 848:References 806:by Le Gros 798:Statue of 786:by Ferrata 771:by Ferrata 616:semi-domes 607:(1729) by 492:(1676) by 450:Ciro Ferri 410:to create 408:Ciro Ferri 287:church in 188:Dedication 144:Roman Rite 72:12°28′21″E 69:41°53′56″N 918:Borromini 567:Death of 524:Death of 250:Completed 228:Borromini 139:Tradition 933:(1985). 836:See also 741:by Raggi 726:by Rossi 636:in agone 418:Interior 412:frescoes 132:Catholic 97:Location 1249:Related 756:by Cafà 686:Gallery 650:Bernini 514:Miracle 479:Baroque 367:narthex 337:History 325:, with 285:Baroque 264:Diocese 244:Baroque 232:Bernini 179:Founded 164:History 150:Website 121:Italian 108:Country 804:Angels 483:niches 169:Status 239:Style 112:Italy 1176:and 1144:and 644:agōn 582:Pyre 289:Rome 269:Rome 253:1859 157:.org 102:Rome 652:'s 585:by 572:by 559:by 542:by 529:by 470:by 1293:: 916:. 626:. 474:. 318:. 230:, 226:, 222:, 1217:) 1180:) 1123:) 1051:e 1044:t 1037:v 965:.

Index


41°53′56″N 12°28′21″E / 41.89877°N 12.4726°E / 41.89877; 12.4726
Rome
Italy
Denomination
Catholic
Tradition
Roman Rite
santagneseinagone.org
titular church
Dedication
Agnes of Rome
Consecrated
Architect(s)
Girolamo Rainaldi
Carlo Rainaldi
Borromini
Bernini
Style
Baroque
Diocese
Rome
Baroque
Rome
Piazza Navona
Early Christian
Saint Agnes
Stadium of Domitian
Girolamo Rainaldi
Carlo Rainaldi

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