San Giovanni dei Fiorentini

00186 Roma

The Basilica of San Giovanni Battista dei Fiorentini (Latin: Sancti Ioannis Baptistae Florentinorum ), San Giovanni dei Fiorentini also, is a church in Rome. The minor basilica is also a titular church of the Roman Catholic Church, Parish Church and National Church of the Florentines. It was built over more than two centuries and contains important art treasures of the grave sites of Francesco Borromini and Carlo Maderno.

Location

The church is located in the Rione Ponte V. Roman, right on the eastern bank of the Tiber, close to the Ponte Principe Savoia -Aosta about 350 meters south of the Castel Sant'Angelo.

History and Architectural History

The architectural history of the church is extremely changeable. Pope Leo X, even Florentines from the house of de ' Medici, the beginning of the 16th century wrote of a competition for the design of a Florentine national church. It is over, inter alia, Raphael, Baldassare Peruzzi, Antonio da Sangallo the Younger and Jacopo Sansovino involved. Leo X chose the design of Sansovino, this provided for a central building. After the start of construction in 1518 but these were discontinued. Instead, after the works were some interruptions continued in 1520 now with Sangallo the Younger design a building with nave and choir. He led the construction work continued until his death in 1546, but they came already in 1534, probably from lack of money, to a standstill. One reason for this could be that the foundation ( the now provided choir stood in the bed of the Tiber ) cost enormous sums. It was only after 1550, possibly Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola was involved, was either 1556 or 1559 Michelangelo consulted. He submitted several plans; be applied again as a central building design came, although the foundation work was first carried out in accordance with his model further, ultimately to rejection. The works were finally adjusted for lack of funds in 1562 again. After some wealthy Florentine finally donated money, work from 1583/84 were resumed. Giacomo della Porta builder was now. He led the design Sangallo the Younger further and created the nave on the basis of the applied foundations. This was finally completed in 1593. Carlo Maderno as his successor finally completed transept and choir from 1608 to 1614. From about 1611 to 1614, he completed the crossing with the dome off. The facade of the church was, although from the beginning designs templates, ultimately built until 1734 by Alessandro Galilei according to its own plans.

Basic structure

The church was built ultimately as a pillar basilica, ie three naves with a transept and an octagonal domed transept. The aisles in turn open into rectangular side chapels. The choir also includes side chapels, so that an almost square ground plan of the church is the result.

Facade

The facade of travertine is a classic facade of the High Baroque. It has two floors, very broad in the basement, divided by pilasters on the outer sides and a multi- tiered program of three-quarter columns with Corinthian capitals and by the insertion of niches in the landscaped areas between the columns. It corresponds towards the basilica form of the church by the superimposed windows insertions of side portals to the respective side aisles. The main entrance is topped by a shrine. It represents the coat of arms of Pope Clement XII in the above box mounted coat of arms. represents, in whose pontificate the facade was completed. The first floor continues the structure, also provide three-quarter columns with inserted niches of surface order. The loggia is pre- faded a balustrade, as well as the six figures ( of the Upper -story facade of three left and right) are connected by balustrades. Is crowned the façade of a highly contoured triangular pediment.

Affairs

Since Michelangelo's plans that might have led to the " wildest central system of the 16th century," were ultimately not executed, the impression of the interior is now that of a classical three-nave pillar basilica. The pillars of the nave arcades are pre- faded pilasters, the capitals executed after the Corinthian order. A round revolving cornice divides the walls of the nave above the arches. The triumphal arch is unusually high. The transept with the dome of Maderno follows the solution of St. Peter's in the style of the High Renaissance, the pillar massifs are Knickpilaster presented. By fluted pilasters at the corners of the piers, the crossing receives a separate room impression. The impression of the whole interior of the church is by renouncing painting or colored stucco ornament as a " measured, almost cool " dar.

Interior decoration

Apse and main altar

In sharp contrast, is designed by Pietro da Cortona apse with the according fashioned designs da Cortona designed by Borromini main altar of 1640, it follows unmistakably ( including through use of tiered double columns and broken pediment ) of the moving tradition of Roman High Baroque. The center of the main altar contains a marble sculpture by Antonio Raggi; shown is the baptism of Christ. Originally Francesco antigone created a also executed in marble work on the same subject; but it was rejected. Today it is located, after a layover at Ponte Milvio, in the Palazzo Braschi.

Cappella Falconieri and other grave sites

The chapel, located on the right of the choir, contains the tombs of Orazio Falconieri and Ottavia Sacchetti. The chapel itself and the grave sites created following the designs of Borromini; the figure of Faith comes by Ercole Ferrata, the figure Caritas by Domenico Guidi.

Also of Ferrata comes the tomb of Acciaioli family, who came from Florence and a number of eminent personalities, including two cardinals brought forth.

By René Michael Slodtz, one derived from a French family of artists sculptor, comes the 1745/46 built tomb of Alessandro Gregorio Capponi Marquis. He took it out after a drawing by Ferdinando Fuga. The tomb is regarded as not particularly successful, are mentioned in both the stylistic exaggeration in the folds of the skirt as well as the disintegration of the composition by the use of white and colored marble as to very painterly effects. Simon Louis Du Ry made ​​a drawing of the tomb in graphite and spring to approximately 1753/56. It is now in the Staatliche Museen Kassel kept ( Inv. No. GS 1110).

The church contains a number of other grave monuments and tombs, including that of Carlo Maderno, Francesco Borromini and various other personalities, mostly with a Florentine reference.

Other monuments

In the church there is the painting painting of St. Jerome in the Vulgate translation of Ludovico Cardi, called Cigoli. It is an example for experimental light treatment in the late 16th century. At the bust of Antonio Copolla Gian Lorenzo Bernini is said to have worked; This is not secure. The church also contains still a monument to Pope Clement XII. ; He also came from Florence.

Crypt

The crypt was again designed and built by Borromini. It is designed in basic shape of an ellipse with a maximum length of 10 meters and a width of 5 meters, the ceiling height is 5 meters. Each of the sides of the doors vertices are inserted above these doors open arched windows. The structure of the two orders of columns above the fighters continued by pilasterartige bands to the oval stucco relief inserted in the center of the flat dome. The chapel contains the tombs of other Falconieri family and is regarded as " a small masterpiece Borromini ".