Sant'Andrea della Valle Church, Rome
Sant'Andrea della Valle is a beautiful church in the center of Rome. At the same time it is the largest Baroque basilica in the city. Also Sant'Andrea della Valle became one of the 3 cathedrals of the 17th century, built in Rome by the counter-reformation religious ordens.
History of the church
In the 12th century the church of San Sebastiano was situated on the current site of the cathedral. The mansion of the noble Piccolomini family was built next to it. In 1582, Countess Constance Piccolomini, ruler of Amalfi, gave the ancestral palace to the newly founded Order of the Theatines. The main condition was to build a church dedicated to St. Andrew, the patron saint of Amalfi. In 1586 a small chapel was built here. In 1590, Pope Sixtus V decided to expand a nearby street, and the palace with a chapel had to be demolished.
In 1591 the construction of a new church was started on the site of the destroyed one. The architect Giacomo della Porta took on the project. The works were funded by Cardinal Alfonso Gesualdo. After his death in 1603, work was suspended. In 1608 a new sponsor was found, the nephew of the Pope and Cardinal Alessandro Damasceni Peretti. At that time it as led by the architect Carlo Maderno. The construction was completed in 1625, and the temple was consecrated in 1650. In the period of 1655–1665, Carlo Rainaldi finally finished the work on the Baroque façade. In 1869, 1887, 1905 and 1912 the church was restored, and in 2012 the façade was cleaned and restored.
Architecture and interior
The façade of the basilica has two levels, each of which is decorated with 8 Corinthian columns.
- The upper level has a window in the center and false windows on the sides. The top is crowned with a triangular pediment with a marble relief of the coat of arms of Pope Alexander VII.
- The lower level has an entrance in the centre, and between the columns there are niches with statues. The sculptures were created by Domenico Guidi and Ercole Ferrata.
The dome rises behind the façade, which today is the third largest in Rome. It is octagonal and has a diameter of 16 and a height of 80 meters.
Inside, the church was created in the form of the Latin cross with a wide nave and 8 chapels. The apse has 2 additional chapels. The interior of the basilica shines with gold and wealth.
The chapels are decorated with skilful frescoes by famous artists of the 17th century, Mattia Preti and Giovanni de Vecchi. The dome is decorated with the beautiful fresco Gloria del Paradiso by Giovanni Lanfranco.
How to get there
The Basilica Sant'Andrea della Valle is located in the historical center of Rome, on Piazza Vidoni, 6. But its façade faces one of the main streets of the city, Corso Vittorio Emanuele II. Not far from the church there are the famous Palazzo Spada and the main temple of the Jesuits, the Church of the Gesù. Near the cathedral there is a bus stop C.so Vittorio Emanuele/S. A. Della Valle (routes 46, 62, 64, 916, 916F, N5, N12, N20).
Opening hours: every day, from 7:30 to 19:30. Phone number for information (+39) 06 6861339.
Free admission.
