Sant'Andrea al Quirinale, Jesuit church in Monti district, Rome, Italy.
Sant'Andrea al Quirinale is a Jesuit church in the Monti district of Rome, Italy, known for its oval floor plan and rich baroque decoration. The dome rises above the central space and features stucco figures, while chapels radiate from the walls around the perimeter.
Cardinal Camillo Pamphilj commissioned Gian Lorenzo Bernini to design this church for the Jesuit novitiate, built between 1658 and 1670. The building later served as a training center for young members of the Society of Jesus entering religious life.
Visitors today can see how the Jesuit order used the space for novice training, with side chapels dedicated to saints important to their mission. The altar painting of Andrew's crucifixion draws the eye upward, reinforcing the religious message through art and architecture working together.
The church opens regularly for visitors and holds services, with free entry during most hours. The rooms of Saint Stanislaus Kostka can be visited by arrangement and are located in the adjoining building.
Bernini considered this building his finest work in architecture and employed an elliptical layout with the main axis running perpendicular to the entrance. This arrangement directs attention immediately toward the altar and creates a spatial movement rarely found in Roman churches.
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