Church of St Andrew on the Quirinal
Oval Baroque church designed by Bernini, considered by him the most perfect work of his career.
Location
About this audio guide
This guide to the Church of St Andrew on the Quirinal in Rome centers on Gian Lorenzo Bernini, who in his final years used to return quietly to sit inside this small oval church he considered his life's work. It traces the 1658 commission from Cardinal Camillo Pamphilj, for which Bernini refused any fee, and the fusion of light, sculpture and architecture he built around a marble figure of Saint Andrew rising toward the dome. Look up at the hidden windows that flood the oval room with light.
This audio guide was created using AI.
Similar places
Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria
Baroque church sheltering Bernini's Ecstasy of Saint Teresa, lit by golden rays in a marble chapel.
Chiesa del Ss.mo Nome di Gesù all'Argentina
Mother church of the Jesuit order, with a Baroque ceiling where heaven and nave seem to dissolve.
Chiesa di Sant'Ignazio di Loyola
Baroque Jesuit church where a flat ceiling is painted to look like a soaring dome.
Basilica Parrocchiale di Santa Maria del Popolo
Renaissance basilica above Nero's legendary grave, sheltering Caravaggio and Raphael masterworks.
Santa Cecilia in Trastevere
Early Christian basilica sheltering a famous marble effigy and a ninth-century golden apse mosaic.
Church of Saint Louis of the French
French national church sheltering three Caravaggio masterpieces in a single dimly lit chapel.