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It has been said that the Italians love a good optical illusion.
If you do too, when in Rome, here is the place for you. The church of St. Ignatius of Loyola, located near the Pantheon, not only boasts breathtaking frescoes and amazing architecture, but a fake dome!
Founded in 1551 by St. Ignatius, as a church of the Roman College and inspired by the Jesuit mother church, the Church of the Gesù in Rome. Completed in 1650, it was designed with a Latin cross plan and numerous side chapels, the focus being on the high altar at the end of the eastern apse. Decorated with colored marble, animated stucco figural relief, richly ornamented altars, extensive gilding and Corinthian pilasters ringing the entire interior, it contrasts with its unassuming facade overlooking the Piazza di S. Ignazio.
What stands this church, designed by Jesuit mathematician Orazio Grassi, apart from so many others in Rome, is it that when money was not available for a dome, a painter was hired to create the effect of one.
When entering the church, the overall effect is one of vastness and richly appointed ornamentation. My advice to you is to save the best part for last. Take your time to walk along each side of the church and inspect each of the chapels and the main altar. Each of the chapels are different and worthy of individual inspection containing amazing altarpieces and artwork.
The chapel in the right transept, dedicated to St. Alloysius Gonzaga, houses the remains of Cardinal St. Robert Bellarmine and a ceiling painted by Andrea Pozzo who also created the fresco ceiling in the chapel in the left transept. Pay close attention to his work here as you will see it again. The chapel in the left transept also houses the relics of Saint John Berchmans. The chapel just to the right of the church’s presbytery (at the south-east corner) houses the funerary monuments of Pope Gregory XV and his nephew, Cardinal Ludovisi, the church’s founder.
Move into the center of the church. The main highlights of the church are the magnificent frescoes created by Andrea Pozzo. The ceiling painting, which covered the whole length of the nave, depicts the entry of Ignatius into paradise.
Next, stand on the marble disc at the center of the church, and gaze upward, you will see a dome. But is it?
Figures that are in reality painted horizontally seem to rise up towards the heavens. The dome also seems to have a real vaulting, however, with closer inspection, you will see that it is really flat…a trompe-l’oeil. A true masterpiece by Andrea Pozzo.
Leaving the church, take a few minutes to admire the Piazza Sant’Ignazio spread out before the church. The square with its richly hued baroque/rococo styled buildings, designed by Raguzzini, house an office of the Carabinieri, the Italian paramilitary police.
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St. Ignazio Church
- http://santignazio.gesuiti.it/en/
- Hours: Monday-Saturday, 0730-1900, Sundays and holidays, 0900-1900. Free guided tours, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, 1500-1800.
- Admission: free
- Getting There: Located near the Pantheon