San Luigi dei Francesi, Catholic church building in Sant'Eustachio district, Rome, Italy
San Luigi dei Francesi is a Catholic church in the Sant'Eustachio district of Rome, near Piazza Navona. Its flat travertine facade rises in two registers to a triangular pediment topped by a stone cross; the upper level holds a central niche and two arched statue niches, and a vertical inscription band runs up the centre. The lower level has a dark central doorway under a projecting pediment, flanked by two side doors and outer statue niches.
Cardinal Giulio de' Medici commissioned Jean de Chenevières in 1518 to build a church for the French community, initially planned as an octagonal central edifice. Construction halted during the 1527 Sack of Rome and was completed in 1589 by Domenico Fontana and Giacomo della Porta, who designed the façade. Cardinal François de Joyeuse consecrated it on 8 October 1589.
Visitors gather around the three Caravaggio canvases in the Contarelli Chapel, which show scenes from the life of Saint Matthew and rank among the painter's most admired works in Rome. People often stand quietly in front of the paintings, watching as the coin-operated lights bring out the deep shadows and dramatic gestures.
The church opens daily and sits just a few minutes on foot from Piazza Navona, making it easy to combine with a walk through the center. Coin-operated lights illuminate the paintings in the Contarelli Chapel, so it helps to bring a handful of small change.
Plautilla Bricci designed the chapel dedicated to Saint Louis in 1664, using blue stucco draperies and golden fleur-de-lis motifs. She was one of the few female architects working in Rome at the time, making her contribution a rare example of a woman shaping the cityscape.
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