Sant'Ivo alla Sapienza, Baroque church in Corso del Rinascimento, Rome, Italy
Sant'Ivo alla Sapienza is a Baroque church with an extraordinary six-sided floor plan whose walls alternate between curving inward and outward. The dome ends in a distinctive spiral lantern that rises above the roof of the surrounding building complex.
Francesco Borromini designed this church between 1643 and 1660 as a spatial solution for the courtyard of an older university. The project stood in direct competition with the contemporary works of Gian Lorenzo Bernini in the city.
The church is dedicated to Saint Ivo Hélory, patron saint of jurists, because it served the University of Rome, called La Sapienza. On the round sections of the interior, look for the Chigi coat of arms: a six-part mountain topped by a star, also sculpted beside the facade. The edgy sections instead show a bouquet of flowers held by a single crown.
The church sits inside a university complex, so access is normally limited to going through an inner courtyard. It is best to visit on Sunday morning when services are held and the doors are open.
The fundamental geometric form combines two overlapping triangles that together create a six-pointed star. This symbol is traditionally linked to divine wisdom, which perfectly suits its original purpose as a chapel for a university.
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