Santa Maria dei Sette Dolori, Rome

Santa Maria dei Sette dolori is a church in Rome. It originates mainly 17th century and is the monastery church. She is known for the unusual and not perfect facade as well as the well goes back to classical models architecture parts inside.

Location

The church is located in the XIII. Roman rione Trastevere about 100 meters north of the church of San Pietro in Montorio, with the famous tempietto di Bramante.

Architectural History

The wife of the Duke of Latera, Camilla Savelli Farnese Virginia, founded in 1641 the Order of Augustinian Oblate Sisters of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin. From the name of the Order, the Church has also its nickname. The new order of Pope Alexander VII was confirmed 1663rd In the year of the foundation acquired the Duchess the land for the construction of the church and monastery, later she inherited more houses at this point. From 1642/43 the monastery complex was built, was commissioned to build Francesco Borromini. However, he only provided the designs, the actual construction site, he handed Antonio del Grande. The first phase was carried out under his direction to 1649. The church was completed except for parts of the vestibule, the portals and the right cylinder of the facade; also were already inside the stucco work performed. From the designs of Borromini two drawings have been preserved. You are now in the Albertina in Vienna - inventory numbers 645 and 642 The second phase is dated from 1658 to 1665. Executive architect for this section was Francesco Contini. , The missing parts were in it up to the still not perfect facade adds. The church was consecrated on 16 November in 1670. The first major restoration was undertaken in the mid-18th century. There followed further in 1845, 1928-1929 and 1949 and 1958 until 1960. During restoration in 1845, the church inside has been re-painted. The Borromini typical in itself, clear white monochrome of the interior was lost.

Facade

There is still a design drawing for the facade, but only for the lower part, so that can not be understood as Borromini had planned the upper part of the facade. The fact that the facade should be plastered, is now hardly doubted. The facade of brick masonry is divided into seven axes and two floors. The two outer axes contain convex " turrets ", from the right is not known whether this was originally planned by Borromini. His portal leads not the church or the vestibule, but in the seclusion of the monastery buildings. The two outer of the middle three axes are hochgesockelt in the basement and made concave from the wall. They are distinguished from simple pilasters against each other, the surfaces are structured by niche on. The facade is strongly emphasized vertical, the small cornices bring little emphasis in the horizontal structure. The middle part of the facade comprises the portal, a segment of an arc about captured window of the door below. This design may be traced back to Borromini, he has run the portal does not, but only in 1665 the son of Francesco Contini, Giovanni Battista Contini. On the resulting sketch this, the portal is only hinted at.

The upper part of the facade remained without any design, only the outer two, 90 degrees due to the twisted by the concave configuration of the lower level corner pilasters are continued. Borromini originally planned only two windows, which the central axis and the left tower. All other windows are later additions, contrary to the original meaning of the design of the facade, which is to emphasize the severity of the Order in the facade. Walter Buchowiecki noticed the facade total: '(: tower " This element of a convex shape note meant the left is " ) in front of a concave background takes Pietro da Cortona solution in Santa Maria dell Pace ... and Bernini's Sant'Andrea al Quirinale in. .. by more than a decade ahead. "

Affairs

The actual church is located, there are in Rome two other examples - the Oratory of St. Philip Neri and Re Magi, the chapel of the Palazzo di Propaganda Fide - parallel to the facade. Therefore, the portal of the central axis leads first into the vestibule. The basic shape of this room is an octagon, four sides are outputs to the church or other rooms, the remaining four sites are designed as a half circle niches. Borromini took obviously the central hall of the so-called small spas of Villa Adriana for this design as a model. He was well acquainted with the mapping of Francesco Conti from 1634 through this system. The vestibule contains a ceiling fresco, it represents angels with banners is, in the pages of cabinets made ​​from walnut are set.

The church has a single nave and constructed over a drawn rectangle, the corners are typical of Borromini, half- rounded. The space is covered by a shallow barrel vault and contains on the sides are a side chapel and the chapel choir. Divided is the space of three-quarter columns with composite capitals. Noteworthy is the entablature. Borromini it can not be interrupted by the side chapels or the outputs, but it works out in the appropriate places in the manner of a " Syrian Arc" up to and lets it go through. Again, there may have been antique models, called the Canopus of Hadrian's Villa, but also the Temple of Hadrian in Ephesus or the triclinium of Diocletian's Palace in Split. The effect of the entablature is a staple of the room and is seen as a model for the design of San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane.

The original pure white and white stucco design of the room is completely lost by the decorative paintings and marbling of the entablature and the pillar trim with a kind of marble replacement in the 19th century to " fatally ". The original Lichtgebung is much changed by the additional window.

The left altar contains the image of The St. Augustine with a child on the beach, it was created by Carlo Maratta 1655, is called a period 1652-1657. It is unique in that it is so far the only known depiction of the saint, when it is not shown in the robes of a bishop, but in simple monk clothes.

The high altar contains the relics of St. Caesarius, a possibly originating from Terracina Christians. He is said to have suffered martyrdom under the Emperor Nero ..

On the left side of the church is still the grave monument to the founder, and her husband, a sarcophagus of red marble stucco, which is to imitate porphyry. It contains a portrait of the Duchess.

Opening times

The church is because it is the monastery church, not normally open to the public.