Church of Sant'Andrea. Church of Sant'Andrea al Quirinale The church is an oval building with a high triangular pediment, which is supported by smooth pilasters at the corners. The entrance is topped by a portico with a decorative cartouche

The history of the attraction begins in 1565, when the plot of land on which Sant'Andrea al Quirinale currently stands was granted to the Jesuit Order. Thanks to the generous donations of the Tagliacozzo and Aragon families, the Jesuits immediately began building their own temple. In 1568 it was consecrated by Cardinal Marcantonio Colonna. However, in the middle of the 17th century, the building fell into disrepair due to mistakes made during construction, and a decision was made to build a more monumental and luxurious temple. In 1658, under the direction of the architect Bernini, the construction of Sant'Andrea al Quirinale began. Funding for the work was undertaken by Cardinal Camillo Pamphili, nephew of Pope Innocent X.

The new church was dedicated to St. Andrew the First-Called and St. Francis Xavier, one of the founders of the Jesuit Order. Construction lasted for 20 years and was completed in 1678.

The church is an oval building with a high triangular pediment supported by smooth pilasters at the corners. The entrance is topped by a portico with a decorative cartouche. Two pink marble columns supporting the entablature rest on a base in the form of a semicircular staircase. On top of the entablature is the symbol of the Jesuit Order - the three letters “IHS” (Iesus Hominum Salvator), which translated from Latin means “Jesus, Savior of Humanity”.

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The interior decoration is decorated in light colors, which, together with well-designed lighting, conveys a feeling of lightness and weightlessness. The dome space with deep niches and windows in the upper tier is crowned with an oval coffered dome, divided into segments, with a light opening in the center. The small opening is designed in such a way that it provides the interior space with bright light throughout the day.

There are four chapels along the perimeter of the oval room. The main altar is decorated with Borgognone's fresco "The Crucifixion of the Apostle Andrew". The statue of St. Andrew, whose gaze is fixed on the sky, is installed directly above the altar. On the sides there are four columns made of pink marble. In the interior of Sant'Andrea al Quirinale you can see the emblem of the Pamphili family, which donated funds for the construction of the church.

The remains of the King of the Kingdom of Sardinia and Prince of Piedmont Charles Emmanuel IV, as well as the relics of the 17-year-old Saint Stanislaus Kostka, are buried in the church. The young man did not manage to accomplish anything significant. However, tonsure as a monk against his father’s will, high noble origin and death from malaria became an excellent basis for the Catholic Church to be able to create an ideological image from Stanislav Kostka for the younger generations and use him for educational purposes.

By designing the Church of Sant'Andrea al Quirinale, using a combination of the dynamism and variability of oval forms inherent in the Baroque style, the great Bernini created a unique atmosphere of deep spirituality in the best traditions of Roman temple architecture.

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Photo: Church of Sant Andrea al Quirinale

Photo and description

The Church of Sant'Andrea al Quirinale is an outstanding example of Roman Baroque architecture. Built according to the design of Gian Lorenzo Bernini for the Jesuit Order on the Quirinal Hill in Rome. Bernini received the commission to create the design for the church in 1658, construction itself lasted until 1661, and the interior decorations were completed by 1670. On the site where the church stands today, there was previously another 16th-century temple, Sant Andrea a Montecavallo. The current church, erected on the initiative of Cardinal Camillo Francesco Maria Pamphili and with the approval of Pope Alexander VII, became the third in Rome that belonged to the Jesuit order. It was supposed to be used for the novitiate - the period of novitiate of newly converted monks, introduced into practice in 1566. Bernini himself considered Sant Andrea al Quirinale one of his best creations, and his son Domenico recalled how his father would sit for hours inside the church, enjoying the work he had completed.

The facade of Sant Andrea al Quirinale faces Via del Quirinale, as does the church of San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane by Borromini, located further down the street. On the façade above the portico you can see the Pamphili family coat of arms. Inside, the oval shape of the main congregation area is defined by walls, pilasters and an architrave that frame the side chapels and the gilded dome above. Paired columns separate the altar space from the parish area. In contrast to the dark side chapels, the main altar of the temple is well lit - it is the “anchor” of the interior, which you involuntarily pay attention to. Above the throne you can see the painting “The Martyrdom of St. Andrew” by the French artist Guillaume Courtois. Another image of the saint is a white marble sculpture by Antonio Raggi.

The chapels of the church deserve special mention. The first on the right, the chapel of St. Francis Xavier, is decorated with paintings by Baciccio from the early 18th century and work by Filippo Bracci on the vaults. The Chapel of the Passion, also known as the Chapel of the Flagellation, is notable for its paintings of the Passion of Christ by Giacinto Brandi. To the left of the altar is the chapel of Stanisław Kostka, the patron saint of Poland, which houses the tomb of the saint, an urn made of bronze and lapis lazuli from 1716. Above the urn is a painting by Carlo Maratta “Madonna and Child and Saint Stanislaus Kostka”. The last chapel, dedicated to Ignatius of Loyola, is decorated with paintings by Ludovico Mazzanti "Madonna and Child" and "Adoration of the Magi".

Between the Stanislav Kostka Chapel and the main altar of the church there is a side chapel with a huge crucifix. It contains the tomb of Charles Emmanuel IV, King of the Kingdom of Sardinia and Duke of Savoy, who abdicated the throne in 1815 and became a member of the Jesuit Order.

CHURCH OF SANT ANDREA AL QUIRINALE. LORENZO BERNINI Part 1. Facade 1. Sant Andrea al Quirinale (Chiesa di Sant "Andrea al Quirinale) - a baroque church, an architectural work of the great master Giovanni Bernini. The history of the attraction begins in 1565, when the plot of land on which currently located Sant'Andrea al Quirinale, was granted to the Jesuit Order. Thanks to the generous donations of the Tagliacozzo and Aragon families, the Jesuits immediately began building their own temple. In 1568, it was consecrated by Cardinal Marcantonio Colonna. However, in the middle of the 17th century, the building came into being. decline due to mistakes made during construction, and it was decided to build a more monumental and luxurious temple. In 1658, under the leadership of the architect Bernini, the construction of Sant'Andrea al Quirinale began. Funding for the work was undertaken by Cardinal Camillo Pamphilj, the nephew of Pope Innocent X. .The new church was dedicated to St. Andrew the First-Called and St. Francis Xavier, one of the founders of the Jesuit Order. Construction lasted for 20 years and was completed in 1678. 2. Bernini considered Sant Andrea al Quirinale one of his best creations, and his son Domenico recalled how his father would sit for hours inside the church, enjoying the work he had completed. 3. The facade of Sant Andrea al Quirinale faces Via del Quirinale, as does the church of San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane by Borromini, located further down the street. On the façade above the portico you can see the Pamphili family coat of arms. 4. The church is an oval building with a high triangular pediment, which is supported by smooth pilasters at the corners. The entrance is topped by a portico with a decorative cartouche. 5. Two pink marble columns supporting the entablature rest on a base in the form of a semicircular staircase. On top of the entablature is the symbol of the Jesuit Order - the three letters “IHS” (Iesus Hominum Salvator), which translated from Latin means “Jesus, Savior of Humanity”. 6. This church is not big. The Jesuits asked to design it on a limited area of the street. And Bernini coped with this task brilliantly. 7. The leading steps and the church itself are located between two high pilasters on each side, and this gives the building a monumental quality, making you forget about its relatively small size. The steps look like water pouring from the temple onto the street, and a series of conical ovals resemble water ripples. Bernini loved movement, his architecture is full of movement and here it invites us to come inside. In a beautiful, oval room, as you move forward, the space expands to the right and left. This is a horizontal oval, not what we were prepared to expect. After all, we are accustomed to the quadrangular spaces of temples. 8. The same technique was used by Bernini when designing the colonnade in St. Peter's Square. There is a feeling of expanding space while maintaining symmetry. To be continued...

The three of us are standing at the entrance to the Church of Sant Andrea al Quirinale. I don't know how good my pronunciation is... Excellent. The church was designed by the architect Bernini. This church is small because there was almost no space to build it. The Jesuits asked Bernini to design and build a church on a limited site, and he coped with the task brilliantly. He used a gigantic architectural order, that is, the steps leading into the church, or porch, and the church building itself are located between two huge, high pilasters on each side, and this gives the building a monumental appearance and makes us forget about the comparatively small size of the church. The steps look like water pouring from the temple onto the street, and a series of concentric ovals resemble water ripples. Bernini loved movement. Its architecture is always full of dynamics, it prepares us to enter the church with an oval layout. Let's go inside. Let's. I can't wait to see it. So, we are already in the church, in a beautiful oval room. As we move forward, the interior space expands to the right and left. This is a horizontal oval. Not what you would expect. After all, we are accustomed to the quadrangular space in churches. During the Renaissance, cruciform space was also quite common. A circular layout was also used. And this room is oval in shape and, interestingly, we will see an oval layout in another church on this street, San Carlo alle Cuatro Fontane, created by Borromini. It is often contrasted with the Church of Sant Andrea al Quirinale. It resembles St. Peter's Square. Yes, with a double elliptical colonnade. It's like the difference between classical and modern ballet. There is a feeling of expansion, while symmetry is maintained. Everything here is strictly symmetrical. What is most striking inside is that above and beyond the altar, the entire space is flooded with light. It's reminiscent of theatrical lighting, but it's actually natural light coming through a window that we can't see. Bernini often used this technique. For example, when creating a sculpture... “The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa.” ...yes, and also in St. Peter's Basilica. Light penetrates and falls on these swirling figures. They move up and down. This is a host of singing and jubilant angels and cherubs against the background of massive and dense rays of light, made of plaster, gilding and bronze. Let's come closer. Let's. The altar is located in an oval space and is richly decorated. We also see seating areas. In the center is a painting depicting the martyrdom of St. Andrew. "Sant'Andrea" means "Saint Andrew" in Italian, and this church is dedicated to him. It occupies a very important place in Christianity, and not only in Catholicism. Saint Andrew was the brother of the Apostle Peter, so there are many churches in Rome in his honor. He was crucified on an oblique cross, which we call St. Andrew's. Framed by the picture we see cherubs, angels and massive solid rays. Interestingly, the painting itself is also framed in marble... ...from which the columns and pilasters are made. Yes, to create the feeling that inside this architectural space, it is not quite a painting, in our usual understanding. It is inseparable from the interior. The combination of porous and monolithic materials, rich decoration, sculpture and painting in an architecture imbued with theatricality creates a complete work of art. If you come very close to the altar and look up, you can see a light source hidden from the eyes of the parishioners. And regardless of whether it is daylight or electric (and there is a source of daylight here), it fills the entire space. The light comes from the second lantern. It is used solely for theatrical effect. The color of the columns and pilasters, as well as the magnificent shades of the stone materials from which this church is built, are all earthy colors. Some of these columns resemble the color of prosciutto ham, while others resemble hamburger meat. Yes, seriously speaking, here we see brown and white tones, as well as stripes reminiscent of the veins of fat in prosciutto. The comparison with food is not accidental. This is a symbol of the earthly, but they disappear as soon as you look up at the vaults of the church, where pure, heavenly colors predominate. Below there is everything earthly, and above there are only white and gold tones - the colors of Paradise. The image of the Apostle Andrew dying on the cross is inextricably linked with his statue, as if rising from the lower level to the upper level, to Heaven. This is a white statue. The soul of the apostle enters the Kingdom of Heaven. Look at the gold decorating the lantern. The shine of gold is enhanced by the stained glass. This is a very successful solution, which began to be used long before Bernini. In this case, the architect used yellow glass, so even on a cloudy day, like today, the glass enhances the radiance, as if flowing from the Holy Spirit. As if from Heaven. The Holy Spirit is depicted on this lantern. In the center. At the very top. Personally, I am struck by the fact that the dome’s stiffening ribs are made in the form of rays emanating from a dove. Right. There is a double meaning here. The rays of light not only emanate from the dove and give us the divine grace of the Holy Spirit, but force us to look upward. From whatever point we look up, the rays come from the oval, decorated with decoration, and fall down, surrounded by the purest gold and white tones, as well as light. On these vaults and on the surface of the oval dome itself, figures of people in white clothes are visible. They are made of plaster. These are sculptural images of men and boys. The boys represent little cherubs who are surrounded by angels. It is easy to recognize the fishermen in the figures of the men. They hold the nets. This reminds us that St. Andrew was a fisherman, like his brother, St. Peter. They were the first apostles called to ministry by Jesus of Nazareth. There is a feeling that some figures are moving towards us from the direction of the lantern. Yes, during the Renaissance, say 150 years earlier, on the famous Mantegna ceiling... ...in the Camera degli Sposi. ...yes, in the Camera degli Sposi. This lampshade already depicted figures looking down at us. And the illusion arises that... They are watching. Yes, they are watching us from above. Here we see a kind of fusion of earthly and spiritual beings moving towards each other. The central place is occupied by the figure of the Apostle Andrew. His white statue is installed on the torn pediment. And the gap is made in such a way as to show that St. Andrei is freed from earthly bonds and ascends to the Kingdom of Heaven. The contrast between the suffering of the Apostle Andrew in the picture and the sculptural depiction of his soul is striking. A depiction of spiritual release and eternity. And do not forget that all people at that time largely perceived death as deliverance and consolation. As the Jesuits said, God's time is the best time. Yes, liberation of the soul from the body. ...of course, of course liberation. Then there was no fear, apprehension, and especially horror in the face of death that we experience, since we do not particularly think about the afterlife. And then no one doubted life after death. To earn eternity and not go to hell, you had to work and go through purgatory. The afterlife was not in doubt and was considered better than earthly life. Death was common and widespread due to high infant mortality rates and plague epidemics. People lived side by side with her, completely different from us. We don't even like to talk about it. And this kind of painting, sculpture and architecture strengthened hope and even gave consolation. It sounds paradoxical, but death was perceived not as the end, but as a new life. Right. I believe that among the images of the death of saints, the death of Christ and the Dormition of the Mother of God, passing away no longer seemed unusual. Yes. You know, this is an interesting topic, especially since we're going to... We're going to show you what a deathbed was like in Rome. Let's go and have a look. This is the statue upstairs, behind the church. Subtitles by the Amara.org community

Sant'Andrea al Quirinale (Italian: Sant'Andrea al QuirinaleChiesa di Sant "Andrea al Quirinale) is a Baroque church, an architectural work of the great master Giovanni Bernini.

The new church was dedicated to St. Andrew the First-Called and St. Francis Xavier, one of the founders of the Jesuit Order. Construction lasted for 20 years and was completed in 1678.

Sant'Andrea al Quirinale The remains of the King of the Kingdom of Sardinia and Prince of Piedmont, Charles Emmanuel IV, as well as the relics of the 17-year-old Saint Stanislaus Costka are buried in the church. The young man did not manage to accomplish anything significant. However, tonsure as a monk against his father’s will, high noble origin and death from malaria became an excellent basis for the Catholic Church to be able to create an ideological image from Stanislav Kostka for the younger generations and use him for educational purposes.