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
380:
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
372:
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
658:
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
642:), and meant instead, from the Greek, ‘in the site of the competitions’, because Piazza Navona was built on the site of an ancient Roman stadium of the Greek model, with one flat end, and was used for footraces (Latin
377:. Nonetheless, Rainaldi's design of a concave façade and a central dome framed by twin towers was influential on subsequent church design in Northern Europe. In 1653, the Rainaldis were replaced by Borromini.
395:
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
414:
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.
1331:
406:
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.
1296:
792:
563:
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.
646:, "contest"). From ‘in agone’, the popular use and pronunciation changed the name into ‘Navona’, but other roads in the area kept the original name.
65:
547:
1049:
762:
481:
masterpieces, dedicated to individual martyred saints. There are four altars in the pillars with reliefs, unusually set in semi-circular
1321:
747:
999:
504:, but who died shortly after receiving the commission. Algardi provided a small model while a full scale plaster model (now in the
732:
717:
611:– The monument originally planned on a grand scale, but was executed placed above the main entrance in a far more modest monument.
777:
1336:
693:
1316:
1306:
705:
1326:
392:, failed to take interest in the church and Borromini became disheartened, eventually leading to his resignation in 1657.
812:
1204:
1092:
1042:
589:
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
385:
as single storey, above which there was to be a complex arrangement of columns and convex bays with balustrades.
1311:
1021:
345:
View into frescoed cupola and pendentives; apse on left, entrance with organ and tomb of Pope
Innocent X on right
477:
The near-circular interior, actually a Greek cross design, is circumferentially surrounded by marble sculptural
1080:
388:
By the time of
Innocent's death in 1655, the façade had reached the top of the lower order. Innocent's nephew,
1238:
341:
1173:
1035:
662:
Borromini and Bernini became rivals, and more, for architectural commissions. Most prominently, during the
1226:
1116:
654:
1183:
598:
362:
1301:
1169:
1110:
374:
1210:
824:
463:
678:
326:
1220:
608:
622:
Inside the church is also a shrine for Saint Agnes, containing her skull and a marble relief by
1232:
1086:
505:
187:
126:
1009:
1266:
1255:
1214:
1187:
1145:
1104:
1074:
962:
482:
400:
243:
8:
1058:
315:
303:
295:, one of the main urban spaces in the historic centre of the city and the site where the
238:
138:
986:
45:
1273:
1163:
860:
For the building history of the church and extensive documentation, see Gerhard Eimer,
623:
501:
560:
1137:
618:
with angels presenting the symbols of the respective saint are by Ferrata's workshop.
538:
307:
219:
961:
As, for example, the Corsia Agonale, a short road that connects the piazza with the
1177:
1151:
930:
841:
594:
458:
430:
396:
389:
354:
1120:
663:
350:
330:
296:
268:
131:
586:
543:
509:
493:
471:
382:
322:
311:
223:
172:
1290:
1260:
1157:
1141:
913:
573:
568:
555:
525:
292:
192:
80:
67:
516:
ensemble was dropped, and instead Guidi created a marble relief, depicting
199:
1005:
992:
478:
299:
1223:(gates of the Blessed Sacrament Chapel and possibly parts of baldachin)
449:
407:
143:
1027:
1077:(restoration, 1638–1639; decoration of the Trinity Chapel, 1628–1639)
980:
615:
227:
214:
422:
634:
The name of this church is unrelated to the ‘agony’ of the martyr:
349:
The building of the church was begun in 1652 at the instigation of
1083:(ground break, 1638; dedication, 1646; works continued afterwards)
659:
fact that Bernini's fountain predates the façade by some years.
649:
366:
314:. After numerous quarrels, the other main architect involved was
284:
263:
231:
1016:
411:
154:
369:
between two towers and broad stairs descending to the piazza.
111:
581:
288:
101:
873:
The Doria-Pamphili family owns the church to this day.
373:
be indebted to Bernini's bell towers on the façade of
1332:
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:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.